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HOW THE NUMBER OF JOURIs EYS PER DAY AFFECTS COSTS

6th April 1940, Page 28
6th April 1940
Page 28
Page 29
Page 28, 6th April 1940 — HOW THE NUMBER OF JOURIs EYS PER DAY AFFECTS COSTS
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

A Problem which is of Importance when the Haulier is Asked to Quote for Traffic which is to be Carried Over a Range of Distances

Solving the Problems of the Carrier

WHEN considering any problem of haulage in which a quotation is to be given for the conveyance of goods over a variety of distances, increasing mile by mile from a given minimum to a maximum distance, there must always arise the difficulty of dealing with the critical leads, when it is just impossible to complete a round number of journeys in a working day.

In the case under discussion in this series—the conveyance of sanitary ware and pipes over distances ranging from 16 to 120 miles—some of these critical leads have been indicated, if only approximately. I showed, for example, that at the minimum distance of 16 miles it was not practicable to make four runs per day, but reasonably easy to do three. Over a 30-mile lead three journeys were impracticable, but two could be completed comfortably in an 8-hour day.

• Ascertaining the Critical Distances • It will be useful to discover the critical distances in this case. For new readers, it is important to note that the terminal delays average 11 hours, that being the time necessary to load and unload, there being no waiting or other delays. The average speed over a complete journey varies, to some extent, with the distance. It is naturally slower over a short lead, because of the greater proportion of the mileage being through the trafficcongested districts, which are supposed to be usual where the collections and deliveries are made.

The speed of travel for 2 miles at each end of the journey, whatever its length, is assumed to be an average of 15 m.p.h. This means that, in all, 8 miles of each round trip are run at that comparatively low speed. The rest of the journey is usually covered at an average approaching the legal limit of 30 m.p.h.

Over the 16-mile lead, for example, the total time per journey is reckoned as follows:—For terminals, 11 hours; for 8 of the 32 miles, at 15 m.p.h., 32 minutes; and for the balance of 24 miles, at 30 m.p.h., 48 minutes. The total is thus 2 hours 50 minutes, which, allowing for contingencies, may be taken to be 3 hours. That allows of three journeys per day of 9 hours.

The first critical point in this series of distances must, obviously, be that at which it is just impossible to do three journeys per day. A day, for the purpose of this calculation, may not be longer than 9-91 hours, since, with only one driver per vehicle, it is impracticable to take a longer period for day-in-day-out working. Three journeys of 16 miles each way take 9 hours, so that there is 30 minutes, or ten minutes per .journey, left. In those 10 minutes the vehicle can run only 6 miles, that is, '21 miles each way, so that 18 miles or, at the most, 19 is the limiting lead for three journeys per day.

For two journeys per day, the following calculation has to be made. The terminal time for both is 3 hours, leaving 61 hours for travelling. Of the total distance covered in the two journeys 16 miles are run at 15 m.p.h. and take, therefore, 1 hour 4 minutes, leaving 51 hours, as near as makes no matter, for the rest of the mileage.' That allows of 165 miles being covered, which is the maximum at 30 m.p.h.

The total travelling distance is thus 165 plus 16, say 180 miles, and the maximum lead for two journeys per day is, thus, seen to be 45 miles. It is probably wise to take a little of that off to allow for contingencies and to reckon a 42-mile lead for two journeys per day.

Coming now to one round journey per day, there is 11 hours for terminals, 30 minutes for the 8 miles covered near the terminals, leaving 71 hours, which is equivalent to about 220 miles. The total distance is 220 plus 8 and the maximum for a round trip per day is, thus, a 114-mile lead. Here, again, some allowance should be made, and it would be unwise to reckon on more than an average of 100 miles, with, perhaps, an occasional 110 or so, when conditions are favourable.

• Tonnage and Mileage Conversions • This should be converted into terms of tonnage and mileage per week. For three journeys per day, the weekly mileage per five-day week is 480 and the tonnage (four tons per journey) 60. For a six-day week, the mileage is 576 and the tonnage 72.

Taking the figures of The Commercial Motor Tables of Operating Costs and adding 20 per cent, for war-time increases in costs, the minimum earnings should be £21 and £22 16s. respectively, which is equivalent to 7s. per ton, or 51c1. per ton per mile for the five-day week and 6s. 4d. per ton or 41c1. per ton per mile for the six-day week.

Similarly, for the two-journey days. In five days the mileage covered will total 840 and the tonnage carried will be 40. In six days the mileage will be 1,008 nd

the tonnage. 48. . The revenue, calculated as above, must be £28 18s. for five days, and that works out at 14s. 6d. per ton, and 44d. per ton per mile. For six ,days the revenue should be £34, which is equivalent to 14s. 2d. per ton, or slightly over 4d. per ton per mile.

For one-journey days the mileage approximates to 1,000 per week of five days, with a tonnage of 20; for six days the mileage is 1,200 and the tonnage 24. The corresponding revenues should be £34 and £40; the rates per ton 34s, and 33s. 4d., and per ton per mile slightly over 4d. and 4d.

Comparing these figures with those of the previous article, the reader will not fail to note that the rate per ton per mile is identical and that it appears to be quite impossible to reduce it below 4d. There is one way in which it might be possible, and that is in cases where the load of sanitary ware or pipes goes to a destination whence return loads at fair prices are fairly certain and regular.

• How Return Loads Affect Rates • In such cases, where there is a 100 per cent. chance of return loads, the operator 'hay calculate his rates on the outward journey only, plus some addition for the time which is bound to be lost in picking up a return load, delivering it, and getting back to the point of collection of the sanitary ware or pipes.

Take the 16-mile lead again, as an instance of how such a calculation would work out. , The terminal times are the same, namely, 14 hours for loading and unloading. The time for the outward journey is made up of that spent on 4 miles at 15 m.p.h., which is 16 minutes, and 12 miles at about 30 m.p.h., i.e., 24 minutes. The total time, from collecting the load to its delivery, is thus 2 hours 10 minutes, say, 24 hours.

On our original basis of calculating the charge, that must be 24 times 4s. 4d. for the time, which is 9s. 9d., plus 16 miles at 5d. per mile, 6s. 8d. The total is 16s. 5d. Add 25 per cent, for the loss of time in picking up the return load, and the charge is seen to be 20s. 6d. That is 5s. lid. per ton, or 34d. per ton per mile.

For a longer run, say 40 miles, the time is 14 hours for terminals, 16 minutes for the end-of-journey mileage and 14 hours for the rest. The total is almost exactly 3 hours. The charge is three times 4s. 4d. for the time, plus 40 times 5d. for the mileage, that is, 13s. plus 16s. 8d., total 29s. 8d. Add 15' per cent. for returnload delays gives a total of 34s., or 8s. 6d. per ton. That is 24d. per ton per mile.

• Figures for the 100-mile Lead • For 100 miles, the times are: 14 hours terminals, 16 minutes fOr the end 2 miles of the journey, and just over 3 hours for the rest of the mileage. The total is nearly 5 hours and the charge 63s. 4d. That is to be increased by 10 per cent., making 70s. The rate per ton is 17s. 6d., and per ton per mile 2.10d.

The foregoing rates apply only if there be a certainty of 100 per cent, return loads. That rarely happens in practice. More often than not the returns are two loads out of three. In that case, the above rates should be increased by 334 per cent., making them as follow:For the 16-mile lead, 6s. 10d. per ton, or 414. per ton per mile. For the 40-mile lead, 1 Is. 4d. per ton, and nearly 3d. per ton per mile. For the 100-mile lead, 23s. 4d. per ton, and 2.80d. per ton per mile.

When the return loads average but one in two, the rates must be half as much again as for 100 per cent. return loads, that is to say-for 16 miles, 7s. 9d. per ton and 5d. per ton per mile; for 40 miles, 12s. 9d. per ton and na. per ton per mile; for 100 miles, 26s. 3d.

per 'ton and 3.15d. per ton per mile. S.T.R.

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