OPINIONS and QUERIES
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Replies to a Forecast of the Future of Haulage. Experiences of Sixwheeler Conversions Required Support for a Spirited Letter Against Restrictions. How Much to Charge for Transporting Animals
Critical Replies to "Traffic Superintendent."
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[35841 Sir,—With reference to the particularly Interesting letter from "Traffic Superintendent," which appeared in a recent issue of your valuable journal, regarding the future control of road haulage, may I make a few suggestions from the point of view of the free lance?
One of the consequences of state control is evidently to be the ultimate elimination from the industry of the man who has sunk his small capital in one lorry, and is endeavouring to make a living from such work as he can obtain. Such an attempt is grossly unjust, and would inevitably cause great hardship to those who are least able to bear the consequences.
The control of goods haulage is a very different matter from that of passenger vehicles. Passenger operators run distinct services on definite routes, whereas the small haulier may on one day take a load from London to Brighton, and on the next day one, say, to Aylesbury, whilst on the following day he may take out three or four separate local loads; in other words, he has no definite area in which he operates.
Reform should come from within the industry, and not from without. I would suggest that the Long and Short-distance Hauliers Associations, which have already been formed, should combine their efforts and appoint a representative in each town in the kingdom with experience of haulage work, to induce aIl to join, and the subscription should be by tonnage, starting from 1 ton, and not a minimum of three lorries. The onelorry man cannot afford to pay a three-lorry 'subscription, neither can a man with a 1-ton lorry afford to pay the same as a man vidtli a 5-ton lorry.
A definite scale of rates should be drawn up on the basis of both time and distance—so much per hour, plus so much per mile. Then the question of state registration can be brought in, and the qtalification for 'obtaining such registration, which would mean the permission td operate, should be membership of, and adherence to, the rules of a National Hauliers Association.
The result would be that the man who gave the most efficient service would get the job, which would command an economical rate, and healthy competition would replace the suicidal method now prevailing. Naturally, the railway companies, in so far as they operate lorries, would be bound to comply with the same conditions, but some separate scheme would be necessary in the case of what your correspondent terms "auxiliary vehicles.", FREE LANCE. Guildford,
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3585] Sir,—I was rather surprised to read the letter of "Traffic Superintendent" on the future control of road haulage, seeing that it was in direct contradiction in its views to my letter of the previous week, which was bearing partly on the same subject.
He seems to favour more red tape, and more Commissioners for us poor overburdened transport operators.
I wonder if he realizes that this country has been passing through a very grave crisis, and is not yet out of the wood? If he does not I will inform him that we have had a government returned to power, With a mandate from the people to remove the causes of this crisis, and one of the causes is interference with private industry by past governments. We have been paying out more than we have had coming in, and I suggested in my letter one or two items where we could save a little to help to get back to Our former status.
The point is this, so far as I can read, "Traffic Superintendent" wants to nationalize road transport Well why not nationalize everything, and then we shall have a definitely Communistic State? Why nationalize one thing and not another? As I understand socialism. it is either all or nothing. You cannot have any halfway house, and, according to the polls at the last election, the people of this country. do not want socialism just yet.
In my opinion, road transport is at the turning of the ways at the present time in this country ; sinister forces are at work for its suppression, as run on a private and commercial basis. It is approximately a century ago that the same forces were at work and put road transport back 50 years. There is no telling what achievements road transport would have made by now if it had been allowed to progress unfettered since its infancy.
We do not want more regulations and restrictions, what we want is a reduction of those that exist at the present time; let road transport look after itself, which it is quite capable of doing, and all these people who are working at uneconomic rates will right themselves ; the only thing we want is a fair deal, and I urge upon the various transport associations to get one.
. Leeds. . A NORTHERN OPERATOR.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[35861 Sir,—Your correspondent "Traffic Superintendent " makes what he admits in his concluding paragraphs to be some bold suggestions, and I venture to think that, if they were carried into effect, they would have the result of jeopardizing the whole future of long-distance road transport.
I am concerned mainly in the proposals of your correspondent in so far as they concern the long-distance road haulier, and particularly his suggestion to license goods vehicles in a manner similar to that in operation on public-service vehicles. Your correspondent, without giving ftny reason, says that he would take the licensing out of the hands of the present Area Coranaissioners and set up entirely new bodies, but I would
point out this is contrary to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on this particular subject.
Your correspondent also agitates for hauliers to be licensed as to routes and/or areas, but does not point out the danger that such a form of licensing would be to hauliers. If haulage contractors were confined to a particular route, then it would be an easy matter for competitive forms of transport, such as the railways, to concentrate on particular routes arid, by a period of intensive competition or rate cutting, to eliminate the road transport operator on that route. Having achieved their purpose on one route, they could turn their attention to others. This is an aspect of the problem which the Long Distance Road Haulage Committee of Inquiry put before the Royal Commission on Transport, and, in its final report, that Commission clearly stated that no restriction as to routes should be included in any scheme for licensing hauliers.
One must protest against the suggestion of "Traffic Superintendent" that the multitude of owner-drivers and small operators should be wiped out of existence. In my opinion the very backbone of the road haulage industry is the numerical strength of its members, and if the trade was concentrated in a few hands, as suggested by your correspondent, I am inclined to think that it would be the beginning of the end of the long distance road haulage business.
Liverpool. E. C. MARSTON, Director (For M.R.S., Ltd.).
Experiences Wanted from Users of SixWheeler Conversions.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3587] Sir,—As the owner of a Bedford 30-cwt., to which is attached a Flexion attachment, making it a six-wheeler, I shall be much obliged if any other owner of a similar vehicle can give me any information as to whether they have experienced difficulty with regard to over-heating when fully laden in hilly country.
The -vehicle has given me great satisfaction, with the exception of the fact that it always boils up steep hills, and I should welcome the experiences of other people in hilly counties, such as Devonshire and Derbyshire, as to whether this difficulty can be overcome.
Oxted. C. E. H. MASTER.
An Endorsement of the Opinion of "A Northern Operator."
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3588] Sir,—The letter headed "Some Trenchant Suggestions," in your issue dated November 17th, deserves every consideration. I think and believe that it is the considered opinion of practically all those engaged in the motor industry.
This letter will surely give a lead, long overdue, to something being done to abolish, once for all, the attempt to kill the road transport of the country, whether in the carrying of passengers or goods. Eventually, if these restrictions, taxes, etc., be allowed to go on, the small trader and the private owner will have to prove that a motor vehicle is necessary for him before being allowed a licence.
One begins to wonder what all we motor owners, drivers, etc., are doing to allow our business and livelihood to be bound down in every conceivable way so as to benefit some other transport service.
What is wanted is for transport companies, owners, drivers and all concerned with the motor industry to take a firm and decided stand.
I do not think that anyone realized—I certainly did not until about a month ago—what a great difference the Road Traffic Act, with its various restrictions, etc., would make in the recent election, but such is a fact.
Having to make a journey to the North of England a few weeks ago, I found, wherever we had to put up for the night, a very bitter attitude adopted by all drivers, mates, etc., let alone owner-drivers, against the Act. For instance, at York there were some 16 men with their vehicles and, to my surprise, I found that c40
every man was dead set against the Act and those responsible for it and had made up their minds to vote against the late Government, some saying they were paying an extra 1s. to 1s. 6d. per week to get to and from their work owing to the insistence of the commissioners that bus fares should be brought into line with the railway fares for the same places, although the railways could not put them down near their work as could the buses. Some pointed out that where an employer had only three vehicles, owing to the very heavy licensing duties he could not afford to pay for a spare vehicle, so that if one broke down, causing a week or two off the road, a driver and his mate were stood off.
The Commercial Motor deserves every praise for publishing the letter from " A Northern Operator " ; it is a call to all that it is time to wake up and do something drastic to make the authorities concerned understand that the motor industry has no intention to be smothered or broken up in the interests of any other transport service, as there can be no doubt that certain other interests are really out to destroy or control road transport, if this be in any way possible.
These interests are at present getting outside transport vehicles to do some of their work, but at exceedingly low rates; but let all transport concerns, whether large or consisting of only owner-drivers, remember this: as soon as these interests obtain sufficient knowledge of such work they will put on their own vehicles, etc., and drop outsiders without regard or regret.
At present those engaged in road transport work appear content to keep grumbling and endeavouring to carry on, meanwhile seeing various restrictions being forced on the industry, until at last the majority will be forced out of the work, just as the canals and those engaged in connection therewith were crowded out.
"Northern," with his letter, has, anyway, given a lead. Will anyone or any body take up and carry on? Can anything be done to form some sort of society for everyone and anyone interested to join by paying a small fee of 6d. or is. per year, solely for the purpose of forcing something to be done towards relieving or taking off a lot of the present hardships?
Let coach and bus owners, etc., put their vehicles on the road and tender their proper licence fees, whether the Road Traffic Commissoners grant them running licences or not. They will find the public will be with them in their stand against officialdom, as the public is already chafing and grumbling over the actions Of commissioners, etc., who are trying to make them travel by a means different from that which they prefer.
Slough. SOUTHERN.
Transporting Cattle and Sheep by Road. The Editor, Tng COMAiERcIAL MOTOR.
[3589] Sir,—As a regular reader of your journal, I shall be glad if you will enlighten me on the following points. I am thinking of starting cattle and sheep haulage; please tell me what reasonable charges to make, also of any special restriction applying to the transport of animals.
I propose to operate the service with a Chevrolet A
30-cwt. vehicle. H. Ham.
Newcastle-on-Tyne.
[The charge to be made for the cartage of cattle and sheep depends upon the distance involved. Over short distances there is a standard charge of Sd. per mile for cattle and 4d, per mile for sheep, that is the charge per head. When the distance increases, that becomes excessive and itis necessary to vary the charge according to condi. tions. If you will let me know more precisely what is the sort of work you have in mind, I can give you a better answer.
The restrictions on the transport of animals are covered by the Transit of Animals (Amendment) Order, of 1930, published by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.
A particular part of the Order to which haulage contractors catering for agricultural work should pay attention, is that relating to the construction of vehicles used for the conveyance of animals by road, and the conditions laid down came into force on October let, 1931. I suggest that you should obtain a copy from His Majesty's Stationery Office.—S.T.R.]