‘Do or die’ for hauliers as fuel costs to increase

WITH soaring oil prices adding to already high costs it’s ‘do or die’ time for the Irish transport operators.

And the sector has been warned again by oil suppliers of substantial increases in the price of fuel on Friday.

Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) president Eamonn Morrissey told members its ‘do or die’ time in the ‘over-competitive industry’.

“Hauliers must reassess their own costs or be prepared to face the ultimate consequences,” said Mr Morrissey.

On top of recent increases, road diesel is expected to increase by a further 16c per gallon this weekend.

“We are not in the business of subsidising industry anymore and transport operators are going to have to be realistic in regard to the costs that they can or cannot absorb to hold onto customers,” he said.

“The IRHA is telling members and hauliers to look realistically at their running costs and how they have failed to hold margins over a long number of years and how haulage rates have continually remained stagnant for the past decade.”

He said despite a recent IRHA fuel protest and representation to a Dáil Committee, Tánaiste Mary Harney and Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy, little had been done by the Government for the industry.

“Our members are feeling increasingly isolated on this matter,” said Mr Morrissey.

“While airlines are beginning to impose surcharges on their customers, some hauliers have no such option for fear of being forced out of business.”

Mr Morrissey said hauliers can no longer push the bottom line if they are to operate legitimately.

“Illegal haulage and its fostering illegal diesel use is a key problem that fails to be adequately addressed and is even more of a concern now that fuel prices are on the increase again,” he said.