Good intentions
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• Over the past year the UK road haulage industry has displayed a commendable mixture of courage and compassion. Truck loads of emergency relief have been hauled to unstable Romania and war-savaged Yugoslavia.
But last month a convoy of 18 38-tonners and seven four-wheel-drive cars embarked on perhaps the most ambitious expedition — a three-week charity mission to starving Albania.
It was the biggest independent relief convoy to go into Albania so far; it successfully delivered most of its load of medical supplies and clothing, and the convoy returned home safely without anyone being hurt.
But the trip made the national news two weeks ago when a video recorded on the trip was shown on ITN News. It showed goods being dumped in muddy streets and looted.
It was suggested that the army and police were behind the thefts and that the trip was organised by amateurs.
The organisers, Task Force Albania, are certainly amateurs — they come from a karate club in Bedford — but they claim that the TV report was unfair, Organiser John Van Weenan says that 95% of the aid got through; part of one truck load was stolen because a warehouse was full and there was nowhere secure for the truck to unload.
But there were problems on the trip, and most of them could have been anticipated, if not prevented.
The trucks, which returned to the UK two weeks ago, suffered numerous breakdowns. Tilts were slashed, and there was minor pilfering. Tempers became frayed: there were disagreements between the truck drivers and the 20-strong karate club contingent who came along in the 4WD cars.
Task Force Albania had been warned by aid workers at Feed the Children that travelling in a convoy would attract crimi
nals. So, seeing as all the drivers have horror stories to tell about the trip, why did they go?
Convoy driver Neil Donaldson, an ownerdriver from Lumby, North Yorkshire, comes straight to the point: "I don't know — one more brain cell and I'd be a brussel sprout." But despite the problems he intends to return in August: he reckons the emotional rewards made it all worthwhile.
The drivers did not make the trip for nothing. They are to be paid £1,850 each for their trouble, most were able to pick up backloads and they had a £100 discount on their ferries with exemption from most transit taxes, Their wages are being paid directly by freight forwarder PBC International, run by Rick and Julie Ellis, who recruited 11 of the 18 drivers from owner-drivers co-operative Unit 91.
But Mike Pickering, founder of Unit 91, says that the drivers on the Albanian trip will not even be able to cover their costs. He also supports the drivers' claim that the trip could have been completed much quicker.
Some drivers allege that the organisers had made no allowance for drivers' hours, while on some days they were only expected to go very short distances. They also claim there was inadequate sponsorship, leaving drivers to pay for their own fuel and breakdowns.
Although organiser John Van Weenen believes it is destructive for him to put down the truck drivers after the event, he hits back by accusing many of them of being unprofessional and inexperienced.
Only two drivers carried snow chains despite the mountainous conditions between Yugoslavia and Albania, says Van Weenen, and a lot of them "winged and moaned" about necessary delays at borders while free OP.