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letters
Page 59
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We welcome letters for publication on transport topics. Address them to Commercial Motor, Dorset liouse, Stamford Street, London SE1.
Competition from ownerdrivers
In answer to Mr C. S. Wray (CM July 23), 1 would say that he should learn to walk before he runs. He calls himself a newcomer; I still consider myself a newcomer after to years in transport. As for comparing an owner-driver with a bigger operator. this cannot he done.
Maybe, after a few years of sweated labour an owner-driver becomes an employer, and can afford a new outfit for £8000 or €9000. He looks at it with pride and then when it is only a couple of months old he sends it on a two-day trip. The vehicle leaves his depot at 9 am on Sunday and should be at its destination at 5 pm, with the driver having instructions to telephone the depot on arrival. There is no 'phone call so he goes to bed and at 1.30 am the 'phone does go; it is the police and he is informed that his vehicle is wrecked, not four hours away from his depot. Yes, you have all the answers to their problems. Mr Wray!
For over 20 years I have never found the answer; but as you have always driven for a living, Mr Wray, you will know that drivers have all the answers.
We larger operators are not afraid of competition but we are afraid of cut-throat competition which can and does come mainly from owner-drivers You say the industry needs -a hell of a shake up"; you will get it if you stay in the job long enough.
G. G. CROPPER, Managing Director, Cropper's Garage (Liverpool) Ltd.
Britain and EEC
As John Darker points out in his review of "Britain and the Common Market(CM August 20) while the pattern of likely manufacturing production will be of general interest to transport managers, what they really require is something more concrete in terms of tonnages and traffic flows.
I am at present working on a series of surveys showing tonnages of different traffics between Great Britain and main centres of EFTA and EEC countries, and these will show the actual trend of such movements, both export and imports, over the last two to three years. From this data it will be possible to project future flows, (a) assuming non-entry, by following the present trend and adjusting the figures through available known factors, (b) assuming entry, by studying the present trend and projecting forward in the light of the various industry policy statements issued by the EEC. The fact that transport policy itself is not settled should not affect the quantity of goods to be moved.
It is planned to have the first of these surveys completed by October.
M. ROUNDING.
Freight Information Services, Liverpool.
RTITB's levy
We would not wish to abuse the courtesy of your columns by answering in detail the letter from Mr Thomas Thirkell in your issue of August 6—but it appears necessary, once again, to refute the legend that the Board has disposed of many millions of the industry's money over the past few years. The exact number of these mythical millions has been variously quoted in. the past: Mr Thirkell has hit on the figure of £44m.
The total levy raised by the Board from the whole road transport industry (not the road haulage sector alone) since its inception in September 1966 until July 1971 was £53m. Of this amount more than 95 per cent has been returned directly to employers in the industry in the form of training grants. Most of the balance which the Board has at its disposal has been devoted to the establishment of improved training facilities in the form of Group Training Associations. MOTECs and the like.
One imagines that Mr Thirkell would make some protest if the Inland Revenue were to quote his annual turnover figures and insist on regarding them as annual profit for tax purposes. This is exactly comparable to the manner in which he insists on treating the Board's accounts, You will no doubt forgive us if we are compelled to reply in one more attempt to correct this misrepresentation of the situation.
TONY ENGLISH Public Relations Officer, Road Transport industry's Training Board,