Anonymity understood
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I am not surprised that the person whose letter you published headed "Jam penalised for working hard" (CM14-20 January) did not give his name or address.
Unlike the writer I started in transport at 17, and now at 71 am still doing a bit part time.
Why does he have to bring pensioners into the argument? I find this, as a pensioner and semi-retired HGV driver, both offensive and patronising.
Surely the observance of the law by operators and drivers helps pensioners and Jam quite sure that the majority would like to see drivers hours rigidly enforced, in common with the general public who have no desire to be mowed down by some cowboy who thinks that 35 minutes constitutes a realistic break.
In CMweek by week there are horrendous tachograph and hours offences reported but perhaps our anonymous writer would like to see the enforcement officers taken off the job in the interests of his operation.
Many cowboy operators are never caught, because in the eyes of the law they do not actually exist, having no 0licence, premises, and so on.
The fact that the haulage industry is held in such low esteem is not only because of unfair reporting by the media, but by the reality of the situation: I would not call the enforcement of drivers hours either red tape or officialdom, it's a necessary protection. EG Corke Ealing, London W139 UA.
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