Contract Maintenance
Page 49
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The cost of road transport is being pushed right into the background, and it would seem that the higher the cost, the better the Government is pleased; this is one point emerging from the Freight Transport Association's memorandum to the Ministry of Transport.
The maintenance of vehicles should not be the major preoccupation of a haulier's business, but as a result of recent legislation, more and more time is being taken up in this respect. When quality licensing gets a grip, the main consideration for holding a licence is going to be the state of the company's vehicles and the arrangements for keeping them in first-class condition, Here the problem starts. The Ministry is vague about what the minimum standards of facilities and organization will be considered acceptable to get a quality licence. This is fair enough, because individual operating circumstances differ so much. It has been made clear that it certainly helps if an operator can show a contract with a professional garage to undertake the maintenance, but even this does not relieve the operator or transport manager of responsibility. The commercial repairer can still make mistakes under a contract that has been made.
I have little knowledge of aircraft maintenance, but I understand that responsibility for work carried out and inspection made is that of those personnel who in fact carry this out. Should this not be the line adopted by the Ministry of Transport, that the commercial repairers shoulder responsibility for the work carried out or contracts made, leaving the transport manager free to give a service to his customer without the worry of maintenance?
The organization with which I am connected has started a maintenance service at a cost per mile, but still we are free of responsibility under the present regulations if mistakes are made.
G. WHITVVELL HARPER, per pro T. G. B. Motors Ltd, Cfitheroe, Lancs.