MOTOR VANS WHICH ATTRACT TRADE,
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The Secondary Line of Service Afforded by the Commercial Motor Vehicle. Direct Deliveries Mean More Customers
Li OW A fleet of smart-looking and
extremely serviceable motor de livery vans attracts custom and brings grist to the mill of its owners was revealed the other day to a representative of The Commercial Motor by the courteous secretary of C. R. Harker; Stagg and Morgan, Ltd., druggists, wholesale and export and manufacturing chemists, of Devon Wharf, Emmott Street, Mile End, London, E.—one of the oldest and best-known firms in the trade. C. R. Harker, Stagg and Morgan, Ltd., commenced delivering goods by motor in September, 1919, with one 30 cwt. Star van, and have gradually increased the fleet until they now have two 30 cwt. Stars, one 50 cwt. Star, one Ford (1 ton) and one light Ford. These vehicles are all driven on a,. mixture of benzole and petrol. The vans are used solely for the purpose of distributing the goods manufactured by the firm, i.e., drugs and chemicals, to the various chemists in different parts of the!coun
try. Deliveries are made to the following districts i—Cardiff and Newport, Wolverhampton and Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester and Derby, every innith; Bournemouth, Yeovil, Norwich, Ipswich and Yarmouthpete., and towns which lie en route, and also to practically all towns within a radius of 100 miles of London, deliveries are made week1y, fortnightly, monthly and every six weeks.
"We have not the slightest objection in saying,"„the secretary observed to our representative, "that it costs us rather more to deliver our goods by motor than by rail; but, an the °thee hand, by giving a regular and prompt delivery we find it encourages business to a great. extent. Through having the motors we have opened several new accoimts in towns in which we had no previous connections; thevans have been noticed whenipassing.through, and the chemists have written asking for terms, etc. This has invariably led:to new accounts ; so, really, in the end it is a paying proposition. Moreover, in the event of strikes, etc:, we are independent of the railways.
"Compared wits -horse transport for town work, we had two .301cwt. sinple horse vans on contract, which we have replaced by a 1 on Ford Van.We find, in practice that this van can do the week of the two horse vans Alfites_comfortably, and with a saving to ourselves of about .£20 per month."
The accompanying illustration is reproduced from a photograph. of the 50 cwt. Star chassis,, the bodywork being by W. and T. Robson, Ltd., Farringdon Road, London, E.C.