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Value of the Mechanical Horse to the Small Town
Page 99
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To Fill Its Transport Needs the Mechanical Horse, OT Similar Unit, Has Distinct Merits for the Smaller Municipality ACONSTANTLY recurring problem, in providing for municipal transport, is how to meet varying requirements in respect of vehicle use, without involving an expenditure which is extravagant. The problem is one which increases proportionately with the diminution of the size of the community to be served.
Large cities and towns can eaonornically operate vehicles of each and every type required' for the manifold transport authorities of a municipality. Use can be found for all of them— enough to keep them occupied during the major part of the working week.
The solution of the problem is 'very different in the case of small townships. There the work available for any one of the several types of machine enumerated above is insufficient to.keep it occupied for more than a day or two each Week.
There are various ways in which this difficulty can be overcome. One method is to contract out for the work; another is to use vehicles equipped with convertible or interchangeable bodies; a third is to use tractor and semi-trailer vehicles either of the mechanical4iorse type or something similar.
The first of these methods is not generally available, except in so far as the more straightforward work of refuse collection and ordinary haulage is concerned. The second is undoubtedly clumsy. The third, I think, is the most practical, convenient and economic.
There are many borderline . cages, where it may seem that the purchase of separate vehicles for each class of work, each with full equipment, might almost be justified. The difficulty is to size up the problem in terms of cost. The following examples of cost, relating on the one hand to the use of individual machine's as just described' and, on the other, to mechanical-horse equipment, go to show, that when the mileages covered in the course of •the separate operations are approximately those set out, the choice must inevitably be the purchase of tractor and semi-trailer equipment.
The cost of four separate vehicles of modern type, fully equipped to deal with refuse collection, street cleansing, gully-emptying and general haulage, would be in the neighbourhood of £3,500. Mechanical-horse type of equipment, comprising a motive unit and four trailers, designed for the purposes enumerated, would cost about £1,400. So much for the initial outlay. Now as to the operating cost.
Taking first the four independent vehicles, the taxation will be at least 48s. per week, probably more. Wages, assuming that two drivers can do the work between them, will be 132s. per week. It will be appreciated that here, again, the size of the township and the work to be done form the governing factor. Garage rent and rates will be 20s., insurance 28s., interest on capital outlay 50s., and the total will thus be 278s. per week.
Now the weekly mileage will be low. Probably it will be in the region of 150 miles each for the refuse collectors and lorries, 60 miles for the gully-emptier, and 40 miles for the street-cleansing machine., The total is 400miles per week.
The running costs per mile, including provision for petrol; oil, tyres, maintenance and depreciation, and having in mind -the effect on each of those items of the .low mileage, will be at least 44,d. per mile and the total 158s. 4d, per week. The grand total of operating cost is thus 436s. 4d. per week.
Now compare the cost of mechanicalhorse equipment. The standing charges will be as follow :—Tax 12s., wages 66s., garage rent 20s., insurance 8s., interest 20s.—that is a total of 126s. Running costs at 31d, per mile will be 116s. 8d. These two add up to 242s. 8d., showing a total of 193s. 8d. in favour of the use of the mechanical horse.