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Linking Long-distance Transport

6th April 1945, Page 25
6th April 1945
Page 25
Page 25, 6th April 1945 — Linking Long-distance Transport
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Trucks

An Ambitious Scheme Which is Obtaining Much Support from Many Important Contractors in This Sphere of Operation

IN an article entitled r; Is Grouping the Best Solution? " by Mr. G. L. Bottomley, published in our issue dated February 2, a suggestion was made for the formation of a corporation to be comprised of hauliers and extended to cover, not merely an individual area, but all the principal cities and towns in the country. The scheme would be to explore the services of the moderate-sized operators in each town and invite those who, collectively, could operate the most comprehensive network of services, to consider the possibilities of incorporation, not from the financial aspect, but in respect of operation.

The corporation would act as the parent company with a central office, and would be subscribed to by its members. Its function would be to govern all services and deal with matters arising from time to time which might affect its members, also to improve efficiency from the angles of the members and customers.

One of the primary objects would be to adopt a confidential schedule of minimum rates, mainly to apply to return loads, thus avoiding the grave undercutting which sometimes occurs in this connection.

Again, at a meeting of the National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses, held at Leeds on March 19, Mr. H. Firth, of Huddersfield, said that the majority of groups in the present movement was for medium and short-distance traffic. He, therefore, suggested forging a national group of long-distance hauliers in conjunction with the Conference. Mr. M. W. Harris, A.ISLInst.T., managing director, Barrows Transport, Ltd., held a luncheon on January 20, at which he put forward to a large assembly of long-distance hauliers a proposition for a long-distance haulage body very much on these lines, which was favourably received by many of those present.

Idea For This Co-operative System Conceived Last Year The idea had begun to develop towards the end of last year, and before the luncheon Mr. Harris had written to some 40 hauliers, briefly describing the object, and most of them attended the function.

In his introduction, Mr. Harris said that, without doubt, local groups have a very high intrinsic value, mainly for the reason that they encourage hauliers in an area to get together and become good neighbours. He was in no way decrying their merits; in fact, he recommended these present to become members of their local groups, but there was an obvious need for an altogether different group for long-distance haulage. The type of unity envisaged was very wide in scope, stretching, in fact, from Scotland to Cornwall. One of the main objects would be to encourage inter-trading and to promote confideiace, so that members would use one another as agents for the purpose of extending their businesses.

There were various directions in which grouping could help the members, such as in respect of insurance, purchasing and advertising. He referred to several other companies in which he was personally interested, which could usefully be brought into the new group, and made references to special shipping facilities which could he made available. Other points were the refuelling-of vehicles at all the various depots.

The outcome of this meeting was the carrying unanimously of the resolution : That we should now be resolved into the first (formation) meeting. of a long-distance haulage group." The following were then elected Os .a provisional committee —Chairman, Mr. M. W. Harris (Burrows Transport, Ltd.); vice-chairman, Mr. H. L. Walker, of Stocktonon-Tees; Messrs. Norman E. May, L. A. Frith, W. L. Simmorids, H: Hickman and J. E. B. Devenish.

Attendance at First Meeting , Indicates Country-wide Interest As indicating the interest in the proposition, we may mention that the guests at the lunchepn came from as widely separated places as Peterborough7Bradford, London, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton, Rayleigh, Oxford, Redditch, Manchester, St. Austell, Liverpool, Rughy, lIuddersfield, etc.

Later, a questionnaire to those present was issued by the provisional committee, and a meeting of this committee was held on February 8, to which, by invitation, came Mr. G. L. Bottornley, the author of the afore-mentioned article. ft was there decided to recommend the foithation of a private limited company, and many objects were added to those which we have already mentioned, as, for example, the use of standard conditions Of carriage, Central garaging facilities with provision for servicing, assistance in the pros vision of shunt drivers on trunking servicei, and the provision (where practicable) of suitable dccon-miodation for

driver's. • The larger proportion of those approached in this matter have consented to join, and the scheme bids fair to develop into an important and well-co-ordinated system, covering practically the whole of the country. We have been asked to emphasize the point that this Jong-distance grouping should not be confused in any way with local schemes, with which it does not cOmpete. the present weakness is in. respect of cross-country services, and the new body would like • to .contact pperators to help complete the network.


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