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Rikki Chequer, TruckNet UK community manager, looks ahead to a difficult twelve months.
Page 15
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Well, it's January the start of a new year, and a traditionally quiet time for our industry. But this year is different to any we have experienced for a long time. Confidence in the economy is at an a record low, truck manufacturers are reporting extremely slow sales and a number of large retail companies have gone pop or, at the very least, are in a spot of bother. None of this bodes well for the year ahead.
Put simply, 2009 will be the year in which our industry undertakes what some are calling "rationalisation". Whatever term is used, it means some of the well-known names may vanish and many of the smaller family-run companies will struggle to survive as the big boys endeavour to scoop up the shrinking amount of work available. All this can lead to people losing jobs.
Reading the headlines saying that so-andso haulage has closed, or that a certain retail giant has gone bust (losing a large distribution company 10% of its work), it is easy to forget that behind the headlines there are members of our industry whose livelihoods have been taken away through no fault of their own. But through the forums on TruckNet UK, many of these industry members are gaining help, advice and support through a worrying time.
Given the current situation, we are taking that help a stage further. Already drivers can advertise themselves as available for work on the TruckNet UK forums for free, and this is now being extended so that they can also use Our sister publications Truck & Driver magazine and Roadtransport.com.
We are also trying to make it as easy as possible for employers to advertise their job openings on Roadtransport.com and in new high-profile advertising slots on TruckNet UK.
Whatever position you hold within our industry, 2009 is set to be a challenging time but all of us here at TruckNet UK, Commercial Motor, Roadtransport.com, Motor Transport and Truck & Driver are committed to providing you with the news, facts, discussions, opinions and opportunities to meet those challenges head on.