Sweeping Reforms Strongly Advocated
Page 25
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TO survive, road transport must fight as a unit. Every' one must be alive and speak up and not behave like a poor relation. We must not allow the shortage of rubber and petrol to be used as an excuse to exterminate the industry. The railways are in a favourable position, and thriving; is there any reason why they should not be the first to go off the road, and contractors substituted? Local authorities should also hire more -Vehicles. It is a measure of fairness to which no objection could be raised. Ordinary vehicle licences should be abolished while fuel is restricted.
The Ministry of War Transport should declare a plan to enable road transport to carry on, or the "Defence Lines " will be the biggest farce in our history, for the vehicles will not be there when wanted—they will all be on the scrap heap.
A State fuel ration, based on the consumption of the country, should be adopted in preference to the pernicious-system of forcing operators to beg for it, and making reductions on round figures, ingenious pretexts, and
random excuses. Lower rations can be given on a national percentage basis according to the need. r the Minister of War Transport decided that there were too many vehicles on the road, he could order a percentage reduction of vehicles in the large fleets first, smaller fleets secondly, and so on. The owners of very small numbers of vehicles could be compensated, and the right of all licence holders could be upheit after the war.
The onus of establishing the need for goods to go by road should not be by the carriers, but by the senders, whose business it is to know` the need and be fully acquainted with the details.
Recent disclosures of the failure of the Chartered Fleet should be 'sufficient answer to those who would like to nationalize our industry. Let us maintain our efficiency and remain a national asset. Stop all this claptrap about no more " cirt-throat competition." We have controlled wages, hours, speeds, laden weights, etc.; it will be service that counts. Let us not be scared of raising our standard of efficiency.
With a little encouragement, the 4roducer-gas plant would have been more successful. It has never been clearly understood that the Government wanted it to be successful. Eventually it was brought forward without any real idea of how it could be used. At last it has been announced that plants will be used under the same old begging scheme for obtaining fuel. Encouragement by allowing more freedom of use and the cancelling of licences (taxation) would help considerably. The Ministry could set a good example and couple them to the Chartered Fleet. Surely it has enough confidence in its own scheme to work them on suitable vehicles. The saving in fuel would be enormous. The form ZF.5A is unnecessary, a waste of paper, time, and energy. Let the driver's log sheets replace it. They could be returned to the contractor after inspection.
London, S.E.22. C. J. VERRALL.