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• Regarding the profile on Ron Osborne, headed "Tough tactics" (CM 10-16 Oct), I would like to point out that Sherwood Leyland Daf has been more than helpful in any disputes with Daf Marketing and Sales. Ron Osborne Rotherham, South Yorks.
RHA tables
• I would like to reply to the letter from Mr Ellis regarding the Road Haulage Association's negotiations with the Office of Fair Trading (CM 19-25 Sept).
The RHA Tipper Group Committee, of which I am a member, initiated this dialogue in an endeavour to publish a realistic guide on operating costs to use as a "yardstick" set against operators' own cost information.
The RHA position on haulage rates is that it cannot be directly involved
in negotiating on behalf of its members as this is against the current laws of fair trading, and could also conflict with the business practices of its own members. Any cost table produced by the RHA would, however, give the smaller haulier additional "ammunition" when negotiating rates with his customer. The Tipping Group believes this to be important to the owner-driver.
The intention is to provide a cost table based on figures supplied by fellow RHA operators, Therefore, if Mr Ellis is prepared to take the time to input genuine cost information to the association, he will be better placed to offer criticism.
G Robertshaw Managing director, Robertshaw Transport Services, 011erton, Newark, Notts.
Gasworks
• I wonder how accurate is your claim that a Cummins-engined Ford Louisville tractive unit in Australia is the first heavy commercial vehicle to run on compressed natural gas (CM 10-16 Oct).
MAN had a CNG engine in a 19-tonne truck at this year's Brussels show in January.
Australia, with its plentiful reserves of natural gas, has been used as an operational test bed for MAN CNG engines in city buses for some time, and 100 such buses have been ordered for South Australia.
MAN has been in the forefront of engine development from the beginning of motor transport. The 'A' in MAN stands for Augsburg where Dr Rudolf Diesel's first direct-injection oil engine was built and a word was born.
Andrew Secombe PR consultant to MAN, Swindon, Wilts.
0 We saw and duly reported in our 24-30 January issue on MAN'S 19.232, which was understood to be an exhibition prototype.
Since then, Ford Australia reports that a Louisville tractive unit, converted to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) has joined its parts distribution fleet and is presently earning its keep.
While the engineering effort is both commendable and futuristic, we'd rather not project it as commercial competition, but more of a race to clean up the environment. Ed.