FUEL COSTS CONTINUE TO ESCALATE

The recent media coverage of the dramatic increases in diesel costs have ensured that everyone is aware of how important an issue this is for the distribution industry. Diesel is, after all, our basic raw material.

Our industry Associations are lobbying for a method by which the duty element paid by haulage companies could be reduced or recovered.  Individual companies are also joining forces to voice their concerns.

Framptons' chairman, Paul Frampton, is one of a group of leading transport company owners recently involved in setting up a new forum to talk to the Government on a broad range of transport related issues.

They believe that direct contact between the Government and and real - life operators is the best way to address industry concerns.  Motor Transport magazine welcomed this new initiative and said the group understood 'at first hand the problems of the industry and should be able to put our case to the Government with considerable strength and authority'.

The next meeting will focus on the Chancellor's pre-Budget report and in particular what decision the Government will make on fuel duty increases. Both the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association say the Government must urgently provide relief for haulage companies as diesel prices escalate.

 http://www.fta.co.uk/news/pressreleases/archive/20050905Governmentmust.htm

'John, have you done that second drop in Northampton yet?'

Thanks to new technology, constant phone calls from the traffic office to check on the driver's progress are now a thing of the past.

Framptons'  vehicles have been equipped with a Minor Planet satellite tracking system for several years now.  This was recently upgraded to provide live tracking - so we can now locate our vehicles in real time.  The system gives us almost instantly the precise location, status, direction and speed of any of our vehicles at any time. 

Not only does this save on phone calls between the driver and the office - our customers also benefit from increased security and our improved ability to keep them informed of arrival times.

BARCELONA - 'JUST IN TIME'

It's often quite difficult to meet the demanding delivery requirements of a customer several hundred miles away - and if you don't control the transport movements yourself, you need a partner you can trust,

One advantage of having our own depot on the northern outskirts of Barcelona, is that we can hold stock and deliver locally on a Just in Time basis.

If you have regular small shipments into the Barcelona area, why not consider consolidating them as one large shipment?  Framptons have several trailers a week leaving the UK for Spain - with groupage departures normally on a Tuesday and Sunday.  Then, if your customer requires smaller deliveries several times a week, or at a specific time, this is no problem - we can even deliver every day if required.

Let me know if we can help.  gilly.walters@framptons.co.uk

Don't forget these national holidays coming up soon:

1st November - All Saints Day (France, Spain, Portugal)

11th November - Armistice Day (France)

1st December - Independence Day (Portugal)

3rd December - Regional Holiday (Spain - Navarra)

6th December - Constitution Day (Spain)

8th December - Immaculate Conception Day (Spain, Portugal)

Articulated vehicles are prohibited from moving on the roads from 10pm on the evening before holidays.  Normal transit times are therefore likely to be affected during these weeks.

For more information please visit

www.framptons.co.uk

Framptons Transport Services Ltd, Crowne Trading Estate, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5QQ, England

Tel: +44 (0)1749 333400 Fax: +44 (0)1749 346249

Email: sales@framptons.co.uk