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Welcome strangers
Page 8
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DURING the past 10 years, road transport has depended on imported vehicles to meet its demands. The domestic manufacturers, with full order books and a heavy export commitment, have had little stock availability over the years, and operators are seldom prepared to wait.
It has been no bad thing the introduction of the foreigners. They are now very much a part of the British scene, and indeed at least two no longer see themselves as foreign, although they still appear in our imported vehicle specifications.
These better quality vehicles were "forced" into many British fleets and once in, they prove difficult to remove. The importers offered a better all-round vehicle, albeit at a dearer overall price. Their introduction and acceptance had educated British operators to be prepared to pay more for quality — an attitude which has encouraged our own manufacturers to improve their product.
The "imported" market is now almost at capacity, and with the possible exception of Hino, it is unlikely to increase this year. Indeed, there could be a contraction on the choice of models available, as foreign Manufacturers rationalise in the interest of economy.