🕒 Article read time: 3 minutes
FTA Shop celebrates its golden anniversary
The year was 1970. NASA’s Apollo programme was in full swing, man having first set foot on the moon just nine months earlier.
Boeing 747 made its first commercial passenger trip to London. Edward Heath won a surprise victory in the General Election, replacing Harold Wilson as Prime Minister. Paul McCartney announced that he was leaving the Beatles. And in April, the Freight Transport Association began selling drivers’ records books, which had recently become mandatory, alongside its Yearbook of Road Transport Law and Drivers’ Handbook, leading to the creation of the FTA Shop.
MODEST BEGINNINGS
In its early years the Shop’s product range was relatively modest, extending to clipboards and adhesive cab notices. And in many ways the Shop owes its existence to the Transport Act 1968, which legislated on the number of hours professional drivers of heavy vehicles could work, replacing log sheets with drivers’ record books. These were designed to comply with the drivers’ record regulations which came into effect on 1 March 1970.
POUNDS, SHILLINGS AND PENCE
When it opened in 1970, the products sold in Shop were priced in pounds, shillings and pence – it was not until February 1971 that Britain went decimal!
AN EVOLVING OFFER
FTA Shop was among the first to offer digital equipment in 2006 as analogue vehicles changed to digital. The Shop’s range of products has evolved to reflect the changing needs of the industry, for example by including an app to assist drivers with their daily walkaround vehicle checks. Samantha Law, General Manager – Shop and Operations, said: “However our world changes, Shop will be there to embrace the technology and deliver for our members.”
Select the following link to read more about the history of FTA Shop.
Published On: 01/04/2020 11:42:14
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