Hauliers' rates fall
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THE AVERAGE haulier became poorer during 1982; and that is a conclusion based on actual figures, not theoretical calculations.
According to the Freight Transport Association's cost and rates service, commercial vehicle operating costs rose by an average of eight per cent during the year ended March 1 1983 a period that does not include the recent Budget. But during the same time haulage rates rose by an average of just 3.5 per cent, meaning that hauliers have absorbed some of their increased costs.
These figures are based on actual costs and rates reported by a cross-section of FTA members. The 3.5 per cent rate increase is only an average figure and covers a wide range of reported increases; a third of the members' replies noted rate increases of between five and ten per cent, roughly keeping pace with costs.
But 22 per cent of the companies reported that rates had not increased at all during the year and rates had actually fallen in nine per cent of the cases.
The effects of this year's Budget have also been calculated by the FTA. Because the vehicle excise duty was increased on some vehicles and reduced on others some categories have fared rather better than others. When combined with the 2.6p per gallon (0.6p per litre) tax increase on diesel fuel, the FTA has worked out that the effect of the tax changes on typical vehicle operating costs are as follows: