Uncertainty and Hope in Haulage
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CHRISTM AS for hauliers was overshadowed by the uncertainty of fuel rationing and of their ability to carry on with whatever allocation they may receive. The lack of any guarantee for the future of hauliers was the subject of strong complaint during a long discussion
on rationing last week by the national executive committee of the Road Haulage Association_ It is possible, however, that the Ministry of Transport may issue a further list of priority traffics. It has already been made clear that the existing list is not exclusive.
Already some night trunk services. have been cut or abandoned, but many operators seem to be basing their plans on the hope that, although part of their traffic could be sent by rail, they will receive total fuel allocations equal to three-quarters of their normal consumption. Some large hauliers having substantial stocks of fuel in hand expect to weather a four-month period of fuel rationing without a marked effect on their services.
Ingenuity is being shown in fuel economy. Some operators who, because of the nature of the traffic that they handle, cannot secure return loads, are towing empty vehicles home. In one or two cases, the pickaback system is. being used to halve fuel consumption on return runs, one vehicle .being carried on another. Fuel is being saved also by lowing vehicles in yards to avoid starting their engines unnecessarily.
Leicester Co-operative Society plan to use their 158 electric vehicles to capacity, to overload petrol vehicles as much as possible. and to take bigger bulk deliVeries to shops.
Correspondents of The Commercial ilifotor report on the situation in their areas: