OPINIONS and QUERIES
Page 32
Page 35
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
WHERE SHOULD THE BLAME BE PLACED?
SEVERAL months have passed since the Government's 6--)Scheme to control road haulage commenced to operate, and it is a reasonable inference that every haulier is, at this stage, well acquainted with most of its perplexing complications.
Despite the efforts to this end made by the Ministry, however, not to mention the associations and the trade Press, one is constantly meeting cases of incredible stupidity and ignorance of the Scheme in general. The latest example of this attitude is exemplified by the following letter recently received by this company (which is a controlled undertaking) from an cperator whose vehicles are attached to a unit in another area. -" With reference to your letter dated November 6 re the above firm, we take a very poor view of the fact that you are rendering your invoices direct, a_ very underhand way of doing bukness.
" We would like to-point out that we have had the . contract with this firm for six years, longand shortdistance haulage, and would still be doing so but, owing to the fact that we are now controlled, this is not now possible.
However, if this is the way you do, business, we shall not forget."
Perhaps vre should explain that the traffic referred to is controlled traffic,emanating from this area, and now handled by this unit.
Apart from pointing out to this firm that their criticism and implied threats should be directed to the Ministry of War Transport, we have ignored their letter, but one is prompted to inquire whether the re-education of this type of mentality is the responsibility of the associations, unit controllers, or the Ministry itself.
N. EnwsLans, . For C. and L. Transport Co., Ltd. Wel v erhampton MORE REQUESTS FOR AN INSTITUTE HAVE read witll great interest your series ofcom ments " Let the 'Operator Advise the Maker," and would like to add my views on this subject. With regard to the makers, I would say that I have found that' various makes have different faults,. some minor and some major, which I am certain could be rectified if there was closer co-operation between maker and operator.
As to the operators, I know that a great many of them do not give their vehicles fair play, in respect of the loading, the way in which the vehicle is driven, and, last but not least, the maintenance that the vehicles receive.
I favour the suggestion, made by several of your contributors, as to the forming of an " Institute of Road Transport Engineers,'.' because I am quite sure that • these men, if they were given the chance, could greatly assist the maker. In closing, I would offer a suggestion for right of entry into such an institute: that all applicants should be able completely to dismantle and reassemble. a vehicle without any outside assistance.
Queensferry. A. E. BOSWELL.
'THE article by your correspondent, , Mr. John 1 Hutchinson, in your issue. dated November 12, much impressed' me. It may' be of interest to you to know
there is in existence an association for the municipal transport engineer, which is run somewhat on the lines suggested by Mr. Hutchinson. We have also a subcommittee working out views expressed by our members on the various aspects of operating inunicipal vehicles.
I quite agree with your contributor regarding academic qualifications. These are of course, very necessary, but I would venture to suggest that one may sit and draw in the ordinary way, but to examine and repair some vehicles one has to be a contortionist Perhaps a visit, incognito, by the designer to a repair shop to hear some of the. remarks, prefaced by some extraordinary adjectives, made by the men about the vehicles would help to improve design.
In conclusion, Mr. Editor, the Adsl.T.E. will be very happy to help in any way , to form an association of maintenance engineers, for which we feel there is a need in municipal transport. .
M. DOWNS, chairman; The Association of Municipal. Transport London, S.E.8. Engineers.
YOUR issue of November 12 mentioned that there was some prospect of forming an Institute of Road Transport Engineers. Having been in charge of over 40 vehicles for the past 25 years, I 'oul.like to join. .1 would therefore be glad to hear of any progress in the formation of such a useful organization.
Guildford T. W. DrIYERSON.
SCRAP OR REPLAN M.O.W.T. • HAULAGE SCHEME
A FTER the various letters regarding control, and the 1--X111.0.1AT:T. Haulage Scheme, perhaps it isnow being admitted that the .average haulier was right in the first place, and that the people who signed away our businesses were wrong, for in summing up, from opinions expressed in the • Press and elsewhere, it is apparent that
(1) The M.O.W.T. Haulage Scheme, having set out to save fuel and rubber., has done neither.
(2) Inefficient operation has caused a large amount of wasted empty' mileage and wasted working hours of men waiting about for days on end for loads. (3) The payment of hired vehicles is totally insufficient, and will lead only to insolvency:
(4) The loss of ..goodwill and the extra work involved in keeping records have never been allowed for.
One can easily be destructive and critical, but let us try to remedy this state of affairs. .First, I am entirely in disagreement with sour representatives who tell us " you are lucky to get anything at all—look at the one-man businesses, etc.—they lost all with no compensation." This is a very poor outlook, as if is obvious that if the Government sulssidizes .the railways as a national asset, it must, in the same way, subsidize road transport.
The complete scheme should be scrapped immediately and the industry, with its present fuel control, allowed to earry ,on. Some 10 per cent. of vehicles could, if necessary, immediately Ix:come non-operative by a stroke of ttie pen, without undue hardship.
If the Scheme stays, the Government should take over hired vehicles complete, -run, use and maintain them, paying all outgoings and taking all income, paying the haulier for the hire, the Government Making profit from the vehicles. The present system, to my minfl, is
deadly, as the cost of tyres and maintenance is left in our hands, and these are the major items.
If the Scheme .stays, an uplift in rates should be paid immediately, and should be retrospective, alternatively, tyres, maintenance and every outgoing should be paid by the Ministry.
Immediate arrangements should be made whereby al hauliers and -controlled undertakings still retain their identity with their clients, and any work passing through the M.O.W.T. should be invoiced in the names of operators concerned to clients.
Mass meetings should be called throughout the country for the voice of the industry to be heard. We are too late again in trying to undo a knot that should never have been tied.
Remember Luton hats!
S. W. VINTER, director, for Thos. Hevvstone and Co., Ltd.
London, S. E .3.
SHOULD REPAIRERS BE LICENSED?
I N reply to Mr T. I. Bennett, of Bramley, Leeds, concerning his licensing scheme for repairs and maintenance, referred to in your issue dated November 26, we note his kid-glove method in putting forward his scheme to safeguard members of the M.A.A., •but why not remove the horseshoe and give a square deal not only to thousands of boys that are fighting our battle to-day, but also in the interest of progress and the generations to come? It is pleasing to note that those present at the meeting at which he outlined his policy, did not commit themselves.
We are pleased to note that the control which he advocates will safeguard the motor trade against the uneconbmic conditions and bad practices which arose from unrestricted competition. He admits the failure of the pre-war methods of the retail motor trade, and that the trade was unable to tabulate a clear-cut lead as to • its place in the post-war picture; he therefore suggests a licensing system, and methods which, with the help of Government control, would close the door to further progress and initiative. He points to' thelicensing of • haulage contractors and public-service vehicle operators, but although we admire the way the various Transport Commissioners have carried out their duties, it cannot be said that the 1933 Act has eliminated the cut-throat competition and back-door methods that have kept the smaller operator standing near to bankru,ptcy.
What Mr. Bennett suggests is, that the M.A.A. should make the door framing in its own licensingscheme, and
then ask the Government to fit the door. Referring to his detailed suggestions for the operation of his licensing system, we note that there would be a licensing classification covering every branch of.the trade, and all existing garages and workshops would be licensed. May I respectfully inquirg'Of Mr. Bennett as to whether, when he tabulated his scheme, he gave thought to the thousands of men who have left the motor trade to fight while we stay at home? Are the fighting men who have become "motorized" through no fault of their own, and who, in the future, will look forward to the bitter experience they have gained as the means for their livelihood, also our apprentices in the trade
to-day, to go through life with no prospett of be.coming their own masters, simply because the M.A.A. wishes to make the motor trade a closed industry?
agree with Mr. Bennett as to Government control, but only in respect of the control of prices, the onus would then be on the 'public to take its work wfiere it could obtain efficiency; this would put the inexperienced garage man out of business.
Why should road operators be prevented from carrying out their own work, when a big percentage of them can make a more efficient job of it, and get a vehicle, on the road much sooner than if it were taken to a garage?
In conclusion, may I remind Mr. Bennett that we understand that this war is being fought for freedom, therefore let us have freedom and fair competition, which are the incentives for future progress. Possibly Mr. Bennett and I may be travelling towards theend of the trail, but let us not put obstacles in the way of those whwill be following us. I,. STARKEY, Ton-Pentre. for The Starkey Engineering Co.
ARE AMERICAN SERVICE LAMPS TOO BRIGHT?.
I WAS very interested to read in your issue of November 19 the short article re the negligent driving of U.S. Service vehicles and the reply given by Mr. Richard Law.
The position at present would appear to be that whilst our own civilian and Servic drivers must obey the law-or take the consequences—these American drivers can ignore all the safety rules'and laws and "get away with it." This is, surely, a very undesirable state of affairs, and one calculated to foster.a feeling of unfriendliness and friction. From my own personal experience one of the U.S. drivers' favourite " trjcks " is cutting-in, and whenever they are in convoy they seem to delight in playing ' follow your leader." Once the leader has got through, the rest follow like sheep, everything else is ignored— even traffic lights on occasion—and nothing short of an earthquake would make them break formation: Perhaps it is their super-acceleration and braking which are responsible for their driving "without due consideration for other road users."
Another grievance which I would like to air is that of
the U.S. vehicle at night. I have yet to meet one with properly masked head lamps, their only black-out regulation being apparently a drop of black paint, not too liberally applied. As most drivers will agree, many of their lamp reflectors would put a pre-war pair of " Zeisa-" to shame.
It is, to say the least, humiliating to meet these vehicles on the road at eight and to be blinded by their lights, whilst we, like true law-abiding citizens, must abide by-our own lighting regulations. Our own Service vehicles—many of which are driven by members of the A.T.S.—often have to grope their way with side lamps only, and these dimmed beyond all sense of proportion.
Worsley. FAIR PLAY.
RIGHT-HAND-THREADED STUDS ON ALL WHEELS FINDER the heading ‘`Some More Ills of Wheels," in ‘-1 your, issue for November 19, the contributor of this information inquires why the use of right-hand-threaded wheel studs on all wheels is not universal.
I have several types of vehicle in operation,.carry'ing loads up to 8 tons, with such studs and guts on both the near and the off side, and I am not aware of any difficulty in keeping them tight.
Left-hand-threaded studs and nuts are a .nuisance, they add to the list of spares required, and they are not welcomed by manufacturers or operators, for obvious reasons.
I am of the opinion that a case can be made out for the introduction of right-hand-threadeci, wheel studs on all wheels, and manufacturing friends of mine are giving the matter serious consideration, J. HUGHES, M.S.A.E., A.M.Inst T.
Maidstone