Fair deal gets fair response
Page 49
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Well done for standing up for drivers' unions (CM 23-29 Sept).
What some employers don't seem to realise is that if drivers feel they are getting a fair deal, they will give exactly the same back.
Treading all over them by offering 'sign up or leave' contracts may appear to work as a cost-saver in the short term Long-term it will just create a workforce which is as selfinterested as the employer it works for.
Drivers know when they are being treated fairly and respond accordingly.
Tony Parry West Wickham.
Disappearing greasy spoons?
Arecent correspondent asked whatever happened to greasy spoons? I can answer this question
starting from before World War 2 .
In those days, there was no such thing as motorway rest areas and truck stops were operated to give good food at reasonable prices together with a pleasant welcome.
They had to be good or drivers soon took their custom elsewhere.
They are now run by people with only the balance sheet in mind both quality and quantity are adjusted accordingly to suit the bottom line.
One well-remembered cafe was Tony's, originally a mile south of Grantham but later moved to a few miles north. Sadly, it was taken over by a balance-sheet oriented firm much to my regret.
Perhaps the best cafe was the Quernhow on the Al near Thirsk, operated by Mr & Mrs BT Lye. It was a pleasure to eat there.
With the advent of motorways, [used to look for a
place to turn off and call at a proper transport cafe.
One of the most popular moves was to leave the M6 southbound at Junction 13, eat just south of Penkridge and rejoin the M6 at Junction 12.
What a pity that today's socalled service areas cannot be sold to, and operated by, companies indigenous to the area.
Norman H Bolt Prier. to de la Cruz Canary Islands
Customer commitment
rrhe many hauliers who
were incensed at the Volvo car advertisement (showing, of all things, an overturned Volvo truck!) can be assured that their reaction was taken very seriously by the management of Volvo Trucks Great Britain.
My own letter of complaint produced an invitation to the company's Warwick HQ.
It som became clear that people were equally dismayed at the image that this misconceived advert projected.
That it was quickly withdrawn and will never be shown again is, no doubt, due to some straight talking by Volvo Trucks' managing director Steven Johnson.
The fact that Volvo management took the trouble to allay the fears of one small company demonstrates a concern for operators of Volvo trucks, whoever they may be.
It is heartening to know that commitment to customers means just that.
Irene Vaughan Robin lianspff t, Thetford, Norfolk.