Operators concerned at depth of Ministry costs survey
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FROM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
C OME hauliers Chosen for the Ministry
of Transport's survey of road transport costs (COMMERCIAL MOTOR, December 10, 1965) are, I understand, deeply concerned at the depth to which the questioning goes. This concern is felt despite the assurance given in the Ministry's covering letter that the information will be treated as strictly confidential, to be used solely in the compilation of general statistical results.
"We are laying our souls completely bare", one operator told me, while another foresaw danger in giving such detail. He felt that the information could be used against a haulier by such a body as, say, the Prices and Incomes Board or could be used very effectively in the event of an imminent takeover or nationalization.
The Ministry's assurance about confidential treatment is quite specific, but the fears seem nevertheless to remain in some minds.
The questionnaires—which have been sent to 8,000 A, B and C-licensed operators —have been prepared by the Statistical Division of the Ministry and, under Section 1 of the Statistics of Trade Act, 1947, have to be completed and returned by January 29.
The forms run to four foolscap pages and pose searching questions about how much is paid in a year for fuel and lubricants, spares, tyres, insurance, overheads and the amount invested in new plant, vehicles and buildings. The Ministry states that the survey is intended to provide better information about the cost of transporting goods by road in this country and the amount which the
• nation spends on road transport, The questionnaire, which goes into quite minute detail, is made up in two parts. Part 1
seeks information on the costs of operating a haulier's fleet, with such questions as the number of vehicles and their various tonnages, the number of fulland part-time employees, the total mileage covered during the last financial year and the total carried during that time. Then follow questions about the cost of materials used, insurance, licences, hire purchase interest, payments for hire of other vehicles, wages and salaries paid and even provision for depreciation. Part 1 also calls for the total receipts from goods vehicle operation.
Part 2 asks for data on the costs of operating a particular vehicle, or vehicles, within a fleet, and the registration number (or numbers) of the specific vehicle or vehicles is actually given by the Ministry. This section asks for the class of licence under which the vehicle is operating, the unladen weight, carrying capacity, body type, year of first registration, type of fuel it uses, and then the total mileage run during the three months ended December 31, 1965, the total hours it was in use, the number of hours it was used between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., the total tonnage carried by the vehicle and the cost of operating it during the three months to the end of last year.
AEC at Amsterdam Show
AN example of the AEC range of goods vehicles I 1 fitted with the Ergomatic cab will be featured at the Amsterdam Show next month. This will be a Marshal 6 x4 chassis and will be on the stand of R. S. Stokvis en Zonen NV. Also on show will be an AEC Majestic bonneted six-wheeler and a Mammoth Major 6.
Two AEC passenger chassis designs will be shown by Auto-Industrie Verheul.