Despite the boom, it seems that fewer executives are driving company cars these days. The Margin reads in the latest IMI Executive Salaries in Ireland survey the 77 per cent of chief executives are currently driving company cars, down from 88 per cent in 1997. Of head of function managers, 72 per cent drive on company wheels, down from 87 per cent in 1997, and 34 per cent of middle managers are company motorists, down from 45 per cent.

While this may or may be not be related to changes in benefit-inkind taxation in recent years, there's no doubting that company drivers like their comforts. At chief executive level, 28 per cent drive a Mercedes-Benz, 25 per cent a BMW, 16 per cent a Volvo and 11 per cent are Saab drivers.

Toyotas, Hondas and Ford figured far down the list and public transport wasn't mentioned at all. Does this mean that "quality" people don't like "quality" bus corridors?