Distributor let down by FTA

7th July 2005, Page 8

7th July 2005

Page 8

Page 8, 7th July 2005 — Distributor let down by FTA

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A MAJOR fuel distributor says he underestimated the cost of proving his company complies with the Working Time Directive (WTD) after the Freight Transport Association (FTA) quoted him £100,000 to check its tachographs.

Peter Lamer, MD of Thurrock firm Suckling Transport, also says in CM's Logistically Speaking column he over-estimated the FTA's ability to help him prove that his business is compliant.

Lamer has used the trade association's tachograph analysis 'Visit Service' since 2003 after becoming concerned about sending tachograph charts through the post. He says he was later assured by the FTA it was preparing for the WTD and the introduction of digital tachographs.

However, when Lamer asked for further information he was quoted £400 per driver—or £80,000 more than he was already paying. In the end, he resorted to producing a computer spreadsheet himself, which he says is perfectly adequate. "We are very pleased with the FTA'sVisit Scheme, but it doesn't sit well with analysing information for the WTD," he says. "What annoyed me was [the FTA] put such a tremendous effort into the legal aspect, but absolutely no effort into how their members were going to manage this system. It was my fault relying on them."

But the FM's Chris Bailey says Lamer chose its 'Rolls Royce' package, which he admits is the most expensive.