The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has revealed that the cost of running 44-tonne trucks in the year to September 2007 was more than 8% higher than in 2006. Unsurprisingly, fuel was the largest single cost - at 28.9% - up by 3.29% on the previous year. Vehicle and depreciation costs were up 1.14% on 2006, while driver employment costs - wage increases, training and cover for sickness and holidays - were 1.64% higher.
RHA director of policy Jack Semple says members report increasingly volatile
relationships with customers, who are becoming reluctant to cover the continuing hikes in fuel. He adds that the cost of vehicles is a burgeoning issue, with rising costs "that we don't see going down".
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