As I mentioned above, public transport (and I mean buses and trains) are hardly an economical option (both in fiscal and time-management terms)when travelling to and from most RAF and Joint Units (try to get to Shrivenham using public transport - the taxi fare from Swindon to Shriv is more expensive than an off-peak Paddington-Swindon ticket). Accordingly MT is required - principally self-drive. But having outsourced much of the white fleet, the Services are behoven to the contractor and through the Army lead. Having said that, friends working in other government departments don't seem to be under the same degree of pressure. The FCO have a fleet of rather smart hybrids - and a fleet of bicycles! Furthermore, FCO officers still travel by first class for rail journies greater than an hour, and mid-tour leave from overseas posts is still via Business Class for the whole family (dropped in June this year for seconded MOD personnel). Ditto Home Office officials.