Hauliers overcome hours
Page 7
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BRITISH hauliers have remained efficient, despite the advent of EEC drivers' hours rules. according to the Transport and Road Research Laboratory.
A report on trends in road goods transport between 1973 and 1983, just published by the TRIZL, underlines the fact that the weight of goods carried by goods vehicles fell by 16 per cent over the 10 years. but the amount of goods moved, in tonne/km, rose by 11 per cent.
Tlw average length of haul increased from 54km in 1973 to 72km.
The economic recession led to a 45 per cent fall in the number or new vehicles purchased between 1979 and 1981, and a doubling of the number of vehicles laid up owing to lack of work be tween 1978 and 1981. Saturday working declined. but the overall intensity of working or vehicles in 1981 was the same as two years before.
And it concludes that the phased introductnin of the eight-hour driving day between 1979 and 1981 has had no adverse effect on goods vehicle operation.
Tlhe proportion of lorries run empty remained fairly constant over the 10-year period.
Costs, according to the TRRL survey. fell against the retail price index between 1973 and 1977, rose sharply in 1979, and fell slowly from 1980 until 1983.
The 1979 rise is attributed to the costs of wages (following settlement of the national drivers' strike), fuel and interest charges. The population of four-axle rigid and articulated lorries rose and. apart from 3.5 to 7.5-tonne lorries, there was a fill in the number of two and three-axle lorries. Whereas fewer than a third of the lorry fleet in 1973 was concentrated at 7.5, 16.3. 24.4, 30.5 or 32.5 tonnes, 57 per cent were in 1981.
Early indications at 'FIZRI. show that five-axle 38-tonne articulated lorries, compared with four-axle artics, operate on 24 per cent longer hauls with 10 per cent higher load factors.
-Hie report. by W. IL Newton, is available for I:3 from the T12,121 cashier at Old Wokirighirni P.o.rd. Crowthorne, Berkshire. RG11 MU, quoting reference P. P.43 and making cheques payable to TRRL.