S.T.R. Opens New Campaign T HE first lecture of the 1936-1937
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season, by S.T.R., the costs expert of The Commercial Motor, took place at the Dorothy Café, Cambridge, on Thursday of last week. The meeting was called by the secretary of the Cambridge Sub-area of the A.R.O., following the publication of the Sub-area committee's views on rates stabilization and their discussion, at length, by S.T.R. in three articles which appeared in The Commercial Motor on July 31, August 7 and 14.
In effect, this address of S.T.R.'s struck an entirely new note. He dealt first with the broad principle of haulage rates and indicated a method whereby any haulier, however small his knowledge of accountancy, could al.. rive at a proper basis for profitable rates. A discussion followed and, on ifs conclusion, a miniature debate was staged in which Mr. Irwin set forth the difficulties in the way of the rates
stabilization as envisaged by the Subarea committee. S.T.R. then answered the various points raised, suggesting how those difficulties might be met.
Mr. G. J. Sell, of Airlandwater Transport, Bishops Stortford, was in the chair and amongst those who took part, in the discussion was Mr. F. Bullen, of King's Lynn. A big feature of the discussion was the reference to what were described as "market rates" for haulage. Some of those present seemed to have the iniPression that these " market rates " were something entirely beyond their control.
s.T.R. pointed out that, on the con• trary, these so-called " market rates" were really the outcome of years of successive rate-cutting, that it was hauliers that had established them and that they were, in a large number of cases, uneconomic. Only hauliers, he pointed out, could improve those rates and now was the time to do it.