1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156 
Need for new concept in vehicle design
Page 83
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
I was particularly interested by the contents in your editorial (CM September 13) concerning the belated attempt on the part of British manufacturers to' provide a standard of driver comfort on a par with that found on the majority of Continental vehicles.
It is surely not just a matter of improving the cab itself, but a whole new concept of vehicle design which is required before any comparison with foreign-built vehicles can be entertained.
For example, there is, as far as I know, only one readily available proprietary range-change gearbox — certainly nearly all chassis using this type of transmission rely upon it, but it simply cannot be compared in respect of easy changing with the gearbox of a Volvo or a Scania, nor does it have a particularly good record of reliability..
In most cases where CM has tested a vehicle fitted with this transmission, the tester has made adverse comments concerning the difficulty of making a clean change. The same criticism may be applied to power-steering, clutch servos, and indeed to the other controls, it is incredible but true that vehicles are still being made today which need two feet on the accelerator for sustained motorway running!
My employers recently tested 14 different artic tractors, three of which were British. On one of these I had to slide the driver's seat back until the squab was touching the back of the cab in order to achieve a reasonable, but not particularly comfortable driving position, and I am no more than 5ft 7in tall, Another one actually had a bare metal clutch pedal reminiscent of the brake on an elderly Ruston-Bucyrus excavator, just the thing for a driver with wet or oily shoes! This vehicle also has a seat which was adjustable by dropping pegs on each corner into slots in the frame; it is indeed a good man who can actually get one level in both planes.
All that most drivers want is a vehicle which is light and easy todrive; no amount of fancy trim or styling can disguise the shortcomings of components, the original design of which may date back 30 years or more.
E. G. CORKE London W13 I note in Questions and Answers (CM, August 9) that in answer to a question you referred a correspondent to Driver Training Consultancy of Leeds, Yorkshire. This correspondent was requesting information on schools which are prepared to hire out hgv instructors to train on a company's own vehicle.
I would like to point out that my school, amongst many others that I know of in the Midlands area, is quite prepared to carry out this same seryice based on proper teaching methods around an established training school. Subject to availability of instructors, we will assess anytrainee who wishes to be taken on his own vehicle and will then devise and implement a course to suit that particular trainee's needs.
Amongst our 1.,500 trainees that we have taken over the past four years we have included own-account customers of this kind for horse-boxes and other similar specialist vehicles and for people who have genuinely insisted on training on their own vehicle for their own convenience.
J. COMES J. Coates (HGV Services) Ltd Anstey, Leics