Going against the grain
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GRAIN MERCHANTS should thin hauliers offering attractively low tion's agricultural hauliers' group It is concerned about the depressed rates currently being offered on the market, and says that many operators have switched from other markets such as coal and steel haulage in order to keep their vehicles running.
According to the group, many former employees of haulage companies have entered the market as owner drivers and, "have arbitrarily decided at what rates grain can be carried without first calculating their own costs."
It fears that many operators will be compelled to stop trading, especially as some merchants are prepared to give traffic to operators which provide unsuitable vehicles for grain traffic.
But it predicts that, once traffic exceeds the industry's capacity, haulage rates will increase significantly, and instead it is urging its customers to pay economic rates and consider giving traffic to RHA members using vehicles which are built and maintained to the standard which the grain industry requires.
"The present trend will only lead to trouble as fewer lorries become available and with many of these being unsuitable, this will lead to increasing complaints being made by the general public about seepage and spillage on roads and verges," it says.
It also warns against de k carefully before giving traffic to rates, the Road Haulage Associahas said.
pending on own-account vehicles, a trend encouraged after the 1979 haulage drivers' strike, as a future strike could involve attempts being made to involve own-account drivers in a dispute.
"Should this happen, grain merchants and own-account operators would find themselves in the same position as the hire or reward sector. It thus follows that grain merchants and own-account operators should look at the capital cost involved in purchasing vehicles, and the costs of their maintenance, when compared with that of Wring from RHA members," it warns.