BIG-SCALE METHODS IN DIUM-FLEET OPERATION
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How Kent Carriers, Ltd., Provides Vehicles of 3-ton to it-ton Capacity c Long-distance Haulage of Bulk Parate Transport Services with 22 "'milers. Daily Distribution Service, d Night Fruit-transport Facilities BEHIND the three distinct transport services offered by Kent Carriers, Ltd., lies an organization that would do credit to a company owning 200 or more vehicles. Actually, the fleet comprises 26 units of various pay-load capacities, but the systems of operation, maintenance and costing are such that an immediate and extensive programme could be inaugurated without the need for any material change in procedure.
The company was formed in 1927 to take over an existing business. Its fleet has a total unladen weight of 104 tons and comprises vehicles of Bedford, Leyland, Morris-Commercial and Tilling-Stevens makes. There are two 3-tonners guaranteed to carry. 4i tons, two 4-tonners, three. Si-tonners, 12 6-tonners, an 8-tonner and two six-wheeled 11-tormers, apart from four 2-ton trailers. Bodywork is by Messrs. Coleman and Epps, of Maidstone.
*A regular daily distribution service is provided throughout Kent, in addition to a bulk bag-distance service for specialized goods and an organized night service to the London markets for fruit growers. The distribution facilities are mainly for perishable goodS, food, wine and spirits, and are operated throughout Kent from the chief depot at St. Peter Street, Maidstone, as well as from a London branch at 100a, Balls Pond Road, N.1.
Collection in London is effected mainly by a sub-con 1332 tractor, who acts as an agent, making regular daily calls on customers. Consignments are collated at the London depot and transported to Maidstone during the night. They are then sorted according to destinations and loaded for redistribution early in the morning. In addition, of course, goods are delivered to the Maidstone depot by traders for shipment to London.
A certain amount of return traffic is also handled by the distribution service. Incorporated in the distribution facilities is a service from London to various towns in Kent for certain multiple stores.
The bulk service is operated ftom the Maidstone area to the main cities in the Midlands and up as far as Manchester. It is run according to requirements and frequently brings back loads from Midland manufacturers for consignment to the south-eastern area. Addi
tionally, special work is undertaken in the haulage or engineering plant and machinery.
All classes of fruit and vegetable, including hops, are handled on the nightly service to the London markets.
A supplementary facility provided by the company is goods storage in the course of transit, Kent Carriers, Ltd., acting as distributor for certain makes of cased and bagged goods.
Certain vehicles are reserved for each specific class of work, principally boxvans being used on the distribution service. Vehicles assigned to the longer routes are loaded first, the vans and lorries receiving attention at the loading bay in descending order of route length. Delivery is effected on the same day as the receipt of orders, and goods ordered by . post for delivery from store are added to those brought in from London and the Maidstone district for distribution by the morning service.
A special class of work in which the company is engaged is the carriage of spirits under bond from London distilleries to a distillery in Kent. Actually, Kent Carriers, Ltd., is not bonded, but is permitted to carry out this service, which, for obvious reasons, is entrusted' only to the most reputable concerns.
The system of organizing traffic is simple, but effective. Delivery notes, made out by the Lamson Paragon mechanized duplicate method, are brought down from London every night and collated according to the routes on which the goods are consigned. Details of consignments are rendered monthly to traders.
The maintenance programme is based upon an inspection of each vehicle, occupying a whole day, every six weeks. A dossier of the condition of the machine is prepared following this inspection, and' the details are then entered in a log book, providing a complete history of the performance of each vehicle throughout its life. In dealing with a fleet covering nearly 500,000 miles a year, such a procedure is extremely important.
Each driver makes a report on the condition of his vehicle, either daily or, if he be away from home at night, on his return to the MaidstOne depot. Each unit is thoroughly washed and greased weekly, but the steer ing and clutch mechanism receive attention from the grease gun twice a week. On the lighter vehicles, oil is changed at intervals of 5,000 miles and, in the case of the heavier machines, 10,000 miles. Overhauls are carried out as required—a system which is both economical and efficient.
Careful .maintenance is well repaid, for excellent fuelconsumption returns are being obtained. For instance, three Tilling-Stevens 6-tonners are averaging 8.70, 8.49 and 9.85 m.p.g. respectively. A Bedford 3-tonner with a low gear ratio gives 11.52 m.p.g., whilst another similar model with the normal ratio covers 11.73 m.p.g. The figure obtained from a Tilling-Stevens 8-tonner hauling a trailer and carrying a total pay-load of 13 tons is 6.17 m.p.g. Two Morris-Commercial 4-tonners are returning 10.82 and 11.8 m.p.g. respectively.
Cost figures vindicate the policy of caring for tyres, for extremely good results have been secured. The performance of each tyre is recorded throughout its life and, on occasions, over 70,000 miles have been obtained.
• The costing system represents commercial perfection. The quantities of oil and petrol consumed are recorded daily in respect of each vehicle and for the whole fleet. These particulars later appear in a weekly chart showing the miles covered, both loaded and empty, by each vehicle in the fleet on every day of the week, the quantities of petrol and oil used, and the average consumption of petrol and oil per vehicle in terms of m.p.g.
Close Check on Oil and Petrol.
On the back of this chart is a table showing the average consumption of petrol and oil per vehicle for the past four weeks. From these data is prepared a graph showing the number of miles, empty and loaded, covered by the whole fleet, also the average petrol and oil consumptions.
Two types of report sheet are in use. In the case of vehicles returning daily to Maidstone, each driver renders at the end of the day a report showing the journeys which he has made, the number of miles covered, loaded and empty, in each case, total mileage and the amount of petrol and oil used.
On the bulk-distribution service to the Midlands, drivers render a weekly delivery sheet, listing the names of the consignor and consignee, the address to which the goods have been delivered, a description of the consignments and their weight. These particulars are recorded in respect of each day of the week, and journeys outwards and homewards are separated. On the back of the weekly delivery sheet is printed the vehicle report, setting out details of mileage, petrol and oil consumed, and full information of each journey made.
Operating costs in respect of each vehicle are recorded weekly on the loose-leaf system and ultimately appear in an annual analysis. The annual summary of the cost of running each machine shows the number of working weeks, miles covered per week, miles per annum and detailed costs in pence per mile.
Insurance Claims Analysed.
The company's experience in connection with insurance is particularly interesting. A statement is prepared annually showing the claims made against each vehicle by third parties and for the repair of the machine involved. The record shows the name of the driver concerned in the mishap, with a note of the district in which it occurred and the conditions of working at the time.
From this information it is possible to see whether c'ertain vehicles or drivers are accident-prone and whether insurance to cover only third parties is justified in the case of specific machines. The figures for claims are compared with the cost of full insurance. Over a period, this practice has proved to have a cash value.
In an interview, two of the directors of the company, Mr. F. J. Hughes, who looks after the engineering side, andMr. W. H. Taylor, A.M.Inst.T., M.S.A.E., the business manager, referred to the happy relations existing between the management and staff.