Support for Mr Mann
Page 24
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AS AN OWNER driver, may I say how I wholeheartedly agree with Mr Mann's letter of May 26. Mr Oliver's letter of June 16 was totally unnecessary, as Mr Mann's letter was self explanatory. Mr Oliver should remember many larger firms started as owner drivers who through hard work and luck were able to expand and employ others. When they were on their own were they cowboys? If they deserved the title then I'm sure they wouldn't be so hypocritical of owner drivers.
Other firms were started by financiers and businessmen who thought they could see profit in haulage, if they didn't check on the market and realise that the owner driver could operate cheaper than them, whose fault is that?
Owner drivers are not allowed to operate from the roadway outside their homes any more than the large firms are. If a lorry is parked outside a driver's home, it is more than likely he works for a large firm who encourage him to take his lorry home either to save space at the yard or to get an early start. We all have to obey the same rules but I feel the larger firms are less likely to worry about breaking the law for they usually have more vehicles specified on their '0' licences than they need. Therefore they can afford to have their licences curtailed by one or two vehicles if they are caught.
T. A. BALL
Rom ford, Essex.