Let the Operator Advise the Maker
Page 24
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Further Personal Contributions From Members of the Original Conference on This Subject and From Others. Previous Comments Appeared in Our Issues Dated September 24. and October 1
Maintenance More Important Than Cost
By J. Shearman, M.I.Mech.E., M.I.A.E. (Road Motor Engineer. L.M.S.) THE meeting called by the Editor of " The Commercial
Motor " to discuss the post-war requirements of users of ornmercial vehicles was an interesting one. Views were also invited as to whether .opinions and experience of operators are given adequate attention by manufacturers, and if not how slid) opinions could best be represented to the latter.
The observations made at the meeting were vivacious and pungent—many must remain " off the record," particularly those bearing on the reliability and maintenance of the modern commercial vehicle.
Illness prevented me from being present at the meetings of the sub-committee that was appointed as a result of the conference. I welcome, therefore, the opportunity to re-state my opinion that there is not at present enough organized exchange of views between operators and manufacturers with regard to:— ) (a) maintenance; (b) desirable designs of vehicle.
I have long held the view, in common with many of my colleagues, that the requirements of the short-mileage vehicle operator have not been given much attention by the manufacturers. In saying this I am not forgetting the excellent conferences organized by the S.M.IVI.T. at the commercial motor vehicle. shows in past years. At these there was much frank .interchange of opinions between
makers and operators, but I do not find that the actual results have amounted to much. The question was dealt with at some length in a paper I presented to the Institution of Automobile Engineers in November, 1938, and the suggestions contained in it received a considerable amount of support.
As a medium for the interchange of views, the papers and discussions at the Institution of Automobile Engineers (not, I think, as Capt. ,Walton suggests, a " remote and austere body "), are necessarily and properly on a somewhat different plane from that which is needed to give full liaison between the manufacturers of the vehicles and their users.
I have felt in some cases that the maker is too much. concerned with keeping down the cost of his vehicle, to the detriment of maintenance.
Maintenance of transport is getting more and more under well-qualified supervision. This should make it easier for the manufacturer to consider how he can best spend an additional few pounds per vehicle on improving the quality and accessibility of the wearing portions.
There is ample evidence of willingness on both sides and, with the Editor of " The Commercial Motor " as an intermediary, there is good hope of setting up suitable machinery for reaching the desired co-operation. to the benefit of both manufacturers and Operators.