Ready for the new year?
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According to the Mayan calendar (and thousands of cranks on the internet), the world will end in 2012. While CM readers aren’t quite that pessimistic, it’s fair to say that you aren’t exactly brimming with confidence for the next 12 months either. According to the latest Trucking Britain Out Of Recession survey, more than a quarter of you (27%) are expecting a fall in volumes, and nearly a third (31%) a slump in profit. To put this into perspective, this time last year just
11% expected a drop in volumes and 19% a drop in profit.
And it was the same story with the operators we spoke to in our new year’s resolution feature (p28). Optimistic hauliers are rarer than rocking-horse manure, and the general consensus is one of keeping heads down and ploughing on. There is plenty of talk about extending the working life of existing trucks and squeezing every last penny out of a tank of fuel. Good quality used trucks will be highly sought after in 2012, so CM’s classified pages will be more popular than ever.
Although it’s likely to be a tough year, rest assured that we are here to help. As well as all the latest news and top legal advice, soon we’ll be launching our Buyers’ Guides. These invaluable features (published in their entirety on www.commercialmotor.com) will look at the products and services that underpin your business, helping you
to make the wisest purchasing decisions. But there is some reason for cheer:
according to the AA, record fuel prices are driving motorists off the road. Fingers crossed 2012 sees fewer traffic jams! Will Shiers