Modified Contest for Drivers This Year?
Page 52
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
AT an emergency meeting of the sub-committee of the national organizing committee of the Lorry Driver of. the Year competition, in Coventry, last week, it was decided to recommend that competitions should, if possible, be held this year despite fuel rationing. The sub-committee thought that a competition on a reduced scale was preferable to none.
Eliminating contests would, as usual, be followed by a final contest, but competitors would be provided with vehicles supplied by local concerns to save the fuel that would be used in travelling to the centres.
An application has been made to the Ministry of Transport for adequate fuel supplies and the Ministry has under taken to give serious consideration to the request. It is hoped that the reduction or fuel consumption by using local vehicles will favour the application. Only petrol-burning vehicles: will be employed, on account of the relatively greater shortage of oil fuel. Vehicles with compression-ignition engines running on petrol would he allowed.
The committee considered that there should be three classes in the contest-a
van, a rigid fouror six-wheeler and an articulated outfit, with a maximum of four vehicles in each category. Drivers would, if possible, be given a choice of make.
Further details will be published after suggestions have been received from the centres and the national committee have confirmed the recommendations of these local bodies.
Existing trophies would be awarded, if applicable, at the discretion of the centres. Finalists would compete on the rigid and articulated vehicles to qualify for the international competition, which will be held in Paris on September 29.
Because of the possible easing of petrol supplies later in the year, it was recommended that competitions in this country should be deferred until late July. Should rationing be discontinued before the contests were held, no change in the form of the tests would he made and competitors would still be required to drive the vehicles supplied by the centres. It was believed that the necessity to drive strange vehicles might be a better test of the drivers' capabilities. The ,usual entry fee of 15s. would be charged, and it was hoped that, because of the reduction in organizing costs, the fee would provide a substantial surplus. This would depend. however, on the total consumption of fuel, the cost of which would be paid by the local committees. Financial assistance 'to tinalistS to meet travelling expenses Might be possible.
IL is hoped that centres will shortly be established in Birmingham and Cardiff. In Cardiff the Traders' Road Transport Association have formed a sub-committee to co-operate with any official committee that may be .created to arrange a competition.