95Rates for vans are about the same today as 2002, FACT. Although there was more inflation around then, allegedly, because remember they keep changing the criteria for calculating inflation to suit political needs.
Back in the 1970's and 1980s the rates were good enough to pick up and deliver and make a decent return on a one way trip. The reason was fuel was very cheap even though we had the 1973 oil crises and the tanker driver's strike both in the same decade.
Fuel is still cheap today when compared to the price of beer purchased from a pub. 8 pints of beer to a gallon @ 2.75 pint = £22.00 per gallon.
But what we didn't have in the 70s and 80s was the fuel price escalator introduced in 1993 by the Tories. This changed everything, even though they have froze it in recent years the damage is done. It's made the courier work very, very long hours for little return.
Now because it's so competitive, the only way you can return a profit as an owner driver is to backload, backload and backload. or have some commercial customers of your own and sub work out.
The other problem is courier companies posting ads "Owner Drivers Required" earnings of £600 - £1200 per week. This is misleading and should be outlawed because earnings are nothing more than sales per week before costs. People see these ads and are sucked in.