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We welcome letters for publication on transport topics. Address them to Commercial Motor, Dorset House, Stamford Street, London SE1 9LU Driver agencies In CM April 6 "Driver agencies are crippling us. say hauliers", Philip Robinson. in some
respects, provided a valuable service by high lighting some problems concerning drivers who work on temporary assignments through out British industry. On the other hand, he rendered a disservice by talking to people who were not prepared to identify themselves or specify the complaints that they were talking about. This can hardly be constructive. Perhaps it would be helpful if I tried to clear up one or two misunderstandings. There are, essentially, two major problems that exist and which the article tried to deal with:
1. The Supply Of Drivers. The shortage of drivers — especially heavy goods vehicle drivers — is acute today and the projections for the short term future look bleak. The cause is attributable to three main factors: (a) industry and government's total failure to assess our future driver requirements in this country and spend the money necessary to train them: (b) the hoarding that is commonplace in industry which results in drivers not being fully employed throughout the whole year: and (c) the genuine attempts by the last Labour Government to introduce much needed legislation tightening up safety regulations and traffic laws in the Transport Act.
The solution to these problems, briefly, is for industry in general, and especially industry involved in transport, to establish programmes that will identify the forward requirements of driving personnel month by month during the current year and at least into the next five years. They should work in concert with the training boards and other institutions and associations. The same parties should institute programmes to accelerate rapidly the training that is currently being provided especially for heavy goods vehicle drivers, thousands of whom can no longer drive an hgv because they now need an hgv licence and have not had the opportunity or the money to get one. Companies should ensure that they employ the right number of drivers to cover any emergency. This will release drivers who are, at the moment, surplus to many companies' normal work load and give them the opportunity to join other companies whose current needs are desperate. Finally, legislation in the Common Market will exacerbate our current shortage of drivers and the implications of this on the previous points I have mentioned need to be taken into consideration. On a larger scale, however, our own legislation, especially in the Transport Act. needs a major overhaul which brings me to my second point: 2. The Transport Act. It is acknowledged, even by those who drafted this legislation.
that it is clumsy and in many cases unworkable. I. and many others, have campaigned strenuously in Government Departments and with MPs to get the best parts of this legislation retained or even strengthened and to improve the operational mechanics so that the anomalies contained in Section 92 (2) and Section 60. for example, can be eliminated. There has always been some excuse for delaying this work, the favourite of which has recently been the workload caused by the Common Market and value-added tax legislation. Now there should be no excuse.
May I now turn to some of the statements made in Philip Robinson's article and make some observations?
If Mr Robinson spoke to small operators who didn't dare to mention their complaints because "if my name got out I would be blacklisted by the agencies and never get a driver . ." then I can only suggest that those small operators should question who they are doing business with. I would suggest that they change to a reputable company who has professionalism and integrity and who would be prepared to sit down with the operators concerned and help them solve their staffing problems. As a £100,000,000 public corporation with thousands of drivers operating in countries all over the world, we would be glad to show any operators with these problems what sort of standards should be set in our field, and no doubt there are other reputable companies who would do the same.
Why do drivers work for a company like mine?
Of course it isn't the money our drivers' earnings are very similar to the earnings of drivers in permanent employment. In studies we have undertaken,, the majority of our employees are simply not available for permanent work. This is a social phenomenon which has to be recognized. One per cent of this country's workforce is employed on a temporary basis. In France and Canada and the United States the figure is 3 per cent and in Germany it is estimated that in 1980 the figure in that country will be 5 per cent. There are many social. domestic and physical reasons why drivers don't want a permanent job. If they're travelling or their main occupation is some other activity such as academic studies, writing or research — and there are very many with this sort of motivation — then they will not be interested in permanent work. They want the freedom, the variety, the mobility and the challenge.
It is ironical that when the Department of the Environment was not enforcing Section 92 (2) we provided drivers' log books. fidelity insurance of up to £200,000. £3,850,000 public liability insurance and unlimited employers liability insurance, two weeks' holidays a year, deducted PAYE and were responsible for National Health Insurance and SET con tributions and assumed all the other responsibilities inherent in an employer/employee relationship. As soon as the Department of the Environment decided to enforce Section 92 12) we had to transfer our responsibility for many of these items to our clients whose standards in many cases didn't come up to ours. Nevertheless, while we do not carry the legal responsibility for many of these points today, we keep a rigid control — just as if we did.
Finally, anyone who is genuinely interested in rationalizing the current situation, improving Britain's driving resources and capability and making sense out of the law — please call or write to me. I could use the support.
LANCE H. SECRETAN, Managing Director, Manpower Ltd, London, W11,
Guidance on transport law I have read the article "You need to know about the law and where to find it" (CM April 13), and find this of particular interest.
May I be permitted to point out, however, that under the information listed "Check books information" I am surprised to see that Croner's Road Transport Operation in the UK and on the Continent of Europe) is not included. This book in question covers road transport law in detail, and being produced in loose-leaf format enables it to be kept up to date by means of a monthly amendment service.
I particularly make this point as it appears that in this excellent article CM is trying to advise its many readers where they can find useful textbooks on the guidance of transport law.
B. A. THOMPSON, Transport Consultant, Cockfosters, Herts.
Postgraduate course I read with interest George Wilmot's article (CM March 30), which describes first degree courses in transport management, in which our course in transport planning and management is mentioned. I would like to point out that this is in fact a Master of Science oneyear postgraduate degree course, not a first degree, although unlike other transport MSc courses there is much greater emphasis on management and operation, as Mr Wilmot points out. A first degree is normally required for entry but the course is also open to others with suitable qualifications and experience, and we would be particularly pleased to receive inquiries from operators.
PETER R. WHITE, Lecturer in Public Transport Systems, Polytechnic of Central London, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS.