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* Figuring
Page 55
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What with metrication and road financing, the RHA conference last week was full of figure work—an aspect which seemed to carry over into questions put to the Brains Trust. After all the disputes there have been over the years about what is a fair return for bus companies to earn on their capital, I was interested to hear A. McFarlin ask what the panel thought was a fair return on capital for road haulage businesses.
BRB's Stanley Robbins thought 14 per cent a fair figure—and THC's comptroller Harold Osborn suggested 15. Dick Farmer of Atlas Express thought it was often simpler to look at return on turnover, and felt that 10 per cent and upwards would not be too bad. After all, he pointed out, US truckers— who are limited by controlled rates—are reckoned by the Interstate Commerce Commission to be doing quite nicely if they get five per cent return.