Licensed for life?
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• Plans for licences for life get a particularly warm welcome from hauliers who back many of the Government's proposals for changing the operator licensing system.
In an exclusive Commercial Motor survey, 96% of respondents say that scrapping fiveyear licences will make their lives easier, and 56% say that the proposals will reduce the burden of 0-licensing on operators.
But hauliers have given the thumbs-down to moves to do away with some requirements for small vehicle and ownaccount operators.
Lower standards A huge 82% think the removal of good repute, financial standing and professional competence demands for owners of trucks under six tonnes will lower standards and increase numbers of hauliers competing for business.
And 65% believe it is a bad idea to drop the good financial repute requirement for ownaccount operators, although only 23% think it will give these companies an unfair advantage over hire and reward hauliers.
The Gmernment wants to introduce a voluntary code of practice for HGV and PSV maintenance, but only 4% say this will benefit their business; fi8% say it will not. Almost
90% want a mandatory code.
Most hauliers — 62% — agree with the Government that it makes sense to split fees for administration and enforcement. Under the plans, the licence fee for goods operators will be £180, with an extra test supplement of £16 a vehicle.
The Government also proposes to scrap the requirement that nominated transport managers on the licence have to be employees of the company: but 56% think this is unworkable. Hauliers welcome the plan to give licensing authorities discretion to give operators more than one licence in a traffic area, where a company's fleet is split into separate units for management purposes: 79% give this idea the thumbs-up.
A massive 86% think it sensible to do away with operators licences for PSV operators running vehicles with fewer than 10 seats. This is in keeping with an EC directive.
Applying for a licence under the new system has been likened to bidding for planning permission, where operators will have to specify as far as possible their future needs. Of the respondents, 83% thought this a good idea.
Hauliers feel lifetime licences will cut expenses and red tape involved with re-applying every five years. But some are cautious, stressing the need for regular checks.
One Essex operator commented: "On the face of it, it all looks simpler — there will be less paperwork. Traffic areas need to be sorted out and the cowboys will still be around. The burden will be re duced, but at what price?"
Slackness
Many are dismayed, however. by the plan to ease the restrictions on licences for operators of small commercial vehicles. One Hertfordshire haulier said standards in parts of the industry were already slack. "I see vans being driven like crazy every day," he said.
One of the questions on which feelings ran highest was the proposal for a maintenance code of practice. Most hauliers wanted this made compulsory. One Kent operator said a voluntary code would encourage cowboys to take advantage by skimping on truck upkeep.
Some felt the role of transport manager was too important to be left to a part-time member of the company, as the Government is planning to allow. Others said it would lift a burden from small operators. One haulier suggested companies with more than seven trucks should have a full-time manager.
The results of the Commercial Motor survey will be welcomed by the Government, which has given trade associations until October to canvass their members and respond. The Road Haulage Association and Freight Transport Association have already cautiously backed the proposals.
The Government says the changes will lift many of the burdens and cut the red tape which hauliers face when applying for licences. Nine proposals have been made (CM 1016 August).
Commercial Motor spoke to 200 operators during August. The contact interviewed was transport manager or his equivalent.