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ON THE SIDE OF LIGHT
Page 9
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Barry Proctor balances an industry fighting too many villains with a couple of home-grown heroes.
In between running a business, watching the football (more Stoke players needed, I reckon) and biting my nails to the quick, I've also been attending the usual raft of meetings which sometimes seems to be my chief purpose in life. Two of these stood out for me because, for a change, they showed that there are people in the transport industry who are prepared to get off their backsides and do something positive for a change rather than just carping from the sidelines.
Firstly was a lunch with Conservative transport spokesman Damian Green, organised by industry stalwart Chris Kelly. We discussed what the Tories would do if they get into power and inevitably he made encouraging noises about our suggestions (although the words "proof" and "pudding" have suddenly popped into my mind). When you've built up a successful dealer network as Chris has it would be extremely easy to rest on your laurels and let the industry sort its own problems out. But as most people are aware, he has campaigned tirelessly over the issue of truck crime when he could have simply ignored the problem, or at least confined his attentions to combating thefts on his own premises.
The other meeting was the annual conference of the Professional Drivers Association. This is run by the grassroots of the industry on what amounts to a shoestring budget compared with the more established driver unions. Although it's a million miles away from lunch with politicians, its founders display a similar level of dedication and commitment. As with Chris Kelly, Pat Nicholson, one of the FDA's trustees and founders, has shown that she cares passionately enough about her area of expertise to fight for what she believes in. That she holds down a full-time job as a truck driver alongside her voluntary role is even more to her credit.
I know a lot of people sometimes look at this industry and get depressed about the way everything is going, but I think the example of the two individuals above can inspire us all.