Road Transport Pays in Coal Haulage
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A LTHOUGH the railways quote keen rirates for conveying coal, there is no doubt that, when everything is taken into consideration, the transport of this material by road is the more economical.
just the quantity required can be obtained when it is fetched by lorry, but when it comes in a railway wagon there is probably a surplus. which has to be left in the truck, thus incurring siding rent, or it may be dumped on the stocking ground until required and picked up again. It must be remembered, however, that every time coal is handled there is definite loss, whilst rent, of course, must be paid for the stocking ground on the premises of the railway company.
Slack, which is almost unsaleable, is made during loading and unloading, also, to a certain extent, during transit, and it is difficult to estimate how long the coal will be on its way by rail—it may be a day or a week—whereas by using road transport the trader can be almost certain of the time it will arrive and can plan accordingly.
Coal being a natural product, it varies in quality, which is often low. The merchant who fetches his own supplies need not accept the lower qualities. Other seams or even other collieries are often available. When it is sent by rail, however, there is no choice but to take the whole truckload, however bad it may be, and this will quite probably result in good customers being lost.
The purchaser at the pithead also sees the coal weighed and receives the actual quantity for which he has to pay. At the pit no charge is made for weighing, but the railway usually charges threepence for weighing a motor and twopence for a horse-drawn vehicle, Many collieries employ a man to help load, and, remembering what a dry, dusty job this is, such assistance is an additional advantage.
Starting a Coal Business.
In these days of quotas and selling schemes, the beginner is faced with more difficulties than was the case a few years ago. He should first obtain letter-paper with suitable heading, including the words "Coal Merchant" prominently displayed, and should write to the selected colliery asking for " landsale," that is, pit-head prices, also fox those for delivery to the nearest station. Some collieries, have several prices for the same coal. If they refer the beginner to factors who are also retail merchants in the same districts, he should try another colliery.
It is pot advisable to endeavour to cut prices, for the customer will imagine that the coal is inferior, nor should steam coal be offered for do mestic use. If the merchant can supply a better coal at the same price as a competitor, he will be more likely to be successful than if the same coal be sold at a lower price. Some merchants endeavour to obtain trade by commencing with low prices, with the intention of increasing them later, but this is not good business.
In some districts there are special by-laws regarding the sale of coal. Information concerning these can be obtained from the weights and measures inspector or the police.
Covering the Cost of Cartage.
Certain collieries have closed their landsale department and will despatch only by rail. This is because some merthants, using methods which have become all too common in the haulage industry, have taken the coal Icing distances and offered it at a price which would not cover the real cost of cartage. It must be remembered that the coal merchant has bigger expenses than the haulage contractor. There is the risk of bad debts and, usually, more capital has to be sunk in the business; therefore, proper allowance must be made.
The work is hard, and if the potential merchant be not strong, it is advisable to choose some other occupation.
At first, when starting in a small way, it will be found inadvisable to employ someone to do the heavy work, for a young coal business will not carry any non-productive expenses. Profits usually prove less in practice than in theory, and there is often competition from powerful concerns. The great object. is to keep the business solvent. Customers are often slow in their payments, and it is better to miss bad payers, because collieries do not give much credit to a new trader.
The selling schemes and the restriction on output have tended considerably to increase prices. To factories and other large consumers this is a serious matter, but if the salesman be able to deliver fuel direct to their premises, thus cutting out the cost of handling from the railway yards, there may be scope for good business, but it is important not to sign contracts until the collieries have guaranteed supplies.
Although prices per ton are lower for. hulk delivery, it is possible to handle far more in this way than in the bagging trade, whilst overhead expenses are lower.
Sometimes the coal merchant will have to wait for loading or unloading, and allowance must be made for this when quoting prices.
Coal bags to hold 1 cwt. cost between 3s. 6d. and 4s. 6d. each, and they do not last very long, especially when used for large fuel. Each bag must carry a plate or stitching to denote its capacity as being 1 cwt„ and it must contain exactly this weight when being retailed. There are parts of the country, however, where it is the custom to use bags to hold twice this amount. Scales and weights or other approved weighing appliances must be carried on the vehicle, and the customer or an inspector can demand that each bag shall be weighed. In dry weather the bags become limp and are then extremely difficult to fill. In this case, they should be sprinkled with water and left for a while, but due allowance for the extra weight of the bags most be made when filling, or the seller may find himself in trouble.
The Type and Size of Vehicle.
The ideal type and size of vehicle depend greatly upon the class of business. For the bagging trade the chief difficulty is lack of room, and to overcome this problem it is advisable to use a long-wheelbase forward-control model with a capacity of 30 cwt. to 2 tons, otherwise the bags will have to be piled up one above the other, and penalties may be imposed if coal falls into the roadway, apart from the loss thus incurred. A floor space of 8 ft. by 5 ft. will hold about 15 bags of nuts or cobbles, or 18 bags of big coal. The work involves much stopping and starting, and the vehicle selected should be capable of standing up to this.
The vehicle suggested above would not be suitable for employment in restricted spaces. Consequently, if most of the trade consists of delivering bulk loads, a short-wheelbase lorry with high sides, and either a movable floor or tipping gear, would be more suitable. Here, the carrying capacity must depend upon the quantity required at each delivery, and the distance from the colliery.
It will be found that a good wheelbarrow, preferably with a rubber tyre, will often save many hours of hard work.