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Gulf truckers risk their lives

7th February 1991
Page 14
Page 14, 7th February 1991 — Gulf truckers risk their lives
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• British TIR truckers are driving perilously close to the Gulf war front lines in a bid to slash four hours off the gruelling non-stop run through Saudi Arabia.

At least one driver told Commercial Motor this week that he had ignored Saudi government advice to take the safer west-coast route through the country — a trip of about 30 hours — preferring to take risks to complete the crossing in 26 hours.

Owner-driver John Harper of Barnsley came home from the Gulf last weekend and will set out again this Sunday (10 February). He says the atmos phere is "like a powder keg". Harper signed a form at the Saudi-Quatar border stating that he would transit the country in one go. But instead of travelling via Mecca and Medina, away from the battle zone, he took his usual route up the Gulf coast towards the Iraqi frontier.

He describes the trip as "fairly straight forward" and says he has no fears about going back. "I keep it nonpolitical [just say I'm a chauffeur and avoid any trouble that way."

Harper reports "stacks and stacks of troops moving towards the Kuwaiti border," but he did not see any fighting.

Maidstone-based haulier Astrans, which has 18 drivers in the war zone at the moment, is "looking very critically at Jordan," says director Uwe Ploog. "If there's going to be any problems, that's where it'll be," he believes.

Astrans has increased its freight charges to the Gulf by about 10%, and its drivers are getting a 10% bonus for doing the run. "Apart from helicopters coming out of nowhere, there have been no problems in Saudi," say Ploog. "The lads are treated like gentlemen at the borders the Saudis appreciate the support."