THIS WEEK'S PROBLEM
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"Can you tell me what expenditure is presumed to be covered by the item maintenance in " The Commercial Motor' Tables of Operating Costs? Does it refer to naming repairs or does it also include the cost of the annual overhaul ? If it be intended to cover running repairs, I presume that I should deltit it with the wages of " mechanics and painters employed in our service department,
The item maintenance, as in our Tables of Operating Costs, covers a number of expenses. It includes, besides labour and materials for all repairs, exclusive of those the cost of which is defrayed out of an insurance claim, such sundry purchases as cleaning rags, paraffin, leathers, sponges, burning oil for oil lamps, distilled water for batteries—almost anything, in fact, which has to be bought and used directly on or about the vehicle and may not be charged to fuel, lubricants, tyres or depreciation. In your case, therefore, maintenance will include the wages of mechanics and painters who are employed in your shops. Indeed, it should cover almost all the expenditure directly involved in connection with your service department.