Bear Brand
Page 11
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Cargofax in spring goes to SBRS iRGOFAX, the Road Haulage Association's viewdata load match; and information service, is going ahead this spring with fewer bscribers than was first intended.
The RHA national council gave .3 service its go-ahead last aek, but according to a okesman "over 100" memrs are subscribing to the ser;a. When it was launched at ft year's RHA conference in .1tober, director general addie Plaskett said the service mild only start if at least 250 ambers joined the scheme. While this is short of a target lich the RHA admits privately ould not have been set, it is obably not far adrift of the isiness which has been won by • rival British Road Services estel Datafreight system. .ound 70 of its clients transrred from the earlier Data3ight system, and many of ese were BRS branches.
The Cargofax service will be ailable only to RHA members, oviding electronic traffic exlenge and information on :sk-top tv screens.
Ten main information services e being provided. One will list ads available, with a second ving vehicles available, thus fering the possibility of match g these and leaving members agree rates privately.
An "editor" service will be )en to members to insert any formation which they consider of value to other Cargofax ;ers, and which the RHA apTiVeS.
A "mailbox" service will ena ble any subscribers to leave a message for other subscribers on the system. For instance, a member with another's brokendown vehicle on the premises will be able to advertise the fact.
A range of eight information services is being prepared under the "RHA news" heading. This will include dates and times of national and district activities of the RHA, details of articles of interest in such publications as CM, information about member companies co-operative ventures, movements in operating costs, manufacturers' recall campaigns, news of developments at docks and factories, and new legislation.
There is a plan for the RHA's international group to have its own exclusive Cargofax information package, with traffic news geared to international hauliers' needs.
Other services planned are
ferry information, weather reports, road conditions, and a classified advertising section.
Users will pay £150 a year to subscribe to the service, with equipment hire charges ranging from £96 to £400 a year. It cost £60 a year to use the Prestel network, and computer link time costs 5p per minute during business hours.
Cargofax will be in operation around April, running initially from RHA headquarters in London. Subsequently, it will be transferred to the eastern district's new headquarters in Peterborough.