Four hauliers better than one for Geest
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• by Charles Young Intermodal operator Geest North Sea Line has bucked the industry trend by abandoning its policy of using a single haulier.
While many companies, notably British Steel, are concentrating on a smaller number of large hauliers to the detriment of owner-drivers, Geest has decided that using four hauliers will be more cost effective than using one.
Securicor has lost its contract with Geest—the first of the new hauliers is Dartford, Kent-based MJD. Geest's transport manager Mark Bennett says the move will make the company more cost efficient as the traffic office will be moved in-house. It also gives the company more flexibility.
"Because they ISecuricori had been here so long maybe there was a bit of complacency," says Bennett. They've done a great job but times move on."
This is MJD's first move into container haulage: until now its main contracts have been with Coca-Cola and Holsten. The Geest work will require 20 tractive units; all Renault 385 Premiums.
Geest operations director Arthur Koutstaal says: "We believe these new arrangements will be of considerable benefit to our customers and will assist Geest in maintaining its reputation for fast, on-time deliveries."