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y earliest memory, just pre-war, was my dad moaning about rate cutters In the 1950s we complained about the shilling a ton less than your paying men. In 1995 we are still cutting one another's throats.
I have been privileged to read the transcript of an interview with David Daniels who was instrumental in setting up General Roadways. It contained this significant quote, circa 1931: "The only way to get into firms was to slash the rate, so this is what 1 did. [quoted 10/a ton for bulk traffic back to London. Everyone in the industry was in uproar. They said Daniels had come up to Birmingham with a carving knife. But for all that I did get the traffic we needed. It was certainly a cut rate but it did get our vehicles back and we gained good prices for them."
Nothing much has changed: ten bob a ton in 1931 would equate to about £25 now, so we are working for about 20-25% of a slashed 60-year-old rate—despite carrying almost twice the load at three times the speed.
You don't have to be mad to work in road haulage, but it helps My acknowledgement to Chris Salaman for the quote.
Bob Rust, Basildon.