Road and workshop
Page 45
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by Handyman
Manpower, maintenance
and the MoT (1) • In Commercial Motor recently, a reader asked where the additional skilled manpower—needed in view of the forthcoming Ministry of Transport plating and testing regulations—would be found. It's comparatively easy to work out schemes and systems to meet the new requirements, hut it's another matter as to whether the existing skilled labour force can make the systems work.
The same subject came up in a mixed gathering of operators and engineers. The theme of the general talk centred around present-day operating, the difficulties that beset the operator in trying to maintain the best possible availabllity, and at the same time keeping his vehicles clear of mechanical defects and GV9s.
From the general discussion, it became increasingly evident that a number of changes have had an adverse effect on the maintenance exercise. Since these changes will have a bearing on the more concentrated MoT exercise ahead, it will be helpful to set them down as the operators and engineers see them, and measure their impact. Perhaps then it may be possible to look at the future with a little more confidence—and plan accordingly.
Certainly one feature that is considered a major drawback to operating and maintenance, is the shorter working day within the industries served by haulage. This has created a worse situation, and concerns the actual effective working day during which a vehicle can be off-loaded and reloaded. The day has
steadily shortened to such an extent that the vehicle is rarely seen at home base at mid-day—there is certainly no time to clear defects between unloading and reloading.
Often the earliest time a vehicle can obtain crane or labour assistance in many works is at 830 am., and woe betide the driver who relies on asking for a crane lift after 4.15 p.m., as all too often he finds no staff available. This is no isolated situation. Therefore the tramp and trunk operator must make it plain that he needs the full-day period from 7.30 a.m. to 5 or 5.30 p.m., if he is to move any traffic at all. Add to this the current time-consuming traffic problems and there is positively no normal daytime hours for planned maintenance. This is why vehicles not in service during the normal working day tend to be defective ones, rather than fit vehicles called in to programme for preventive maintenance.
It is obvious that this situation cannot be tolerated when MoT testing begins. But the way round the problem has yet to be determined, This is but one of a set of circumstances or changes that have crept up on us, steadily throttling the effectiveness of both haulage and its maintenance. Again this is no isolated statement—it is the view of a number of operators and maintenance people. Before we can set about making our own adjustments, we must face this and a number of other facts and determine just where we stand.
In another article I will examine this subject a little more closely.