Increased Weigh Limit Essential
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AMONGST the regulations recently issued by the Minister of Transport is one of the greatest importance, which certainly stands in need of revision. We allude to the limitation of 12 tons for the total weight of a four-wheeled vehicle for the conveyance of goods. This weight limit has, remained the same for many years, but in the past has .proved so ridiculous that it has been honoured more in the breach than in the observance, Now, however, with the more string. ent application of the various laws governing road traffic, the police are becom'big far more active in picking out transgressors in respect of overloading, with the result that a somewhat desPerafe situation has arisen, 'for considerably over . half of the heavy classes Of vehicle in use cannot be lbaded to their full capacity • and yet .remain within the 12-ton limit.
Many types 'Of -Vehicle which have proved perfectly satisfactory in the past. will be barred from use, for it is obviously
im
econoñical to 'eMPloy them for loads lighter than those for which they were designed. . Users and makers of such vehicles, • including the majority, of steam wagons, are . particularly hard hit in this direction, for they are not even permitted • a period of grace during .which time . their present 'machines can work out their useful term of life, and it "is' quite Obvious that they eantiot all be converted into six-wheelers. We ask the Minister of Transport seriously to consider the vital importance of raising the present limit to 14 tons—preferably as a general rule, but at least, in respect of vehicles licensed before January 1st, 1932.
Some nine years ago the then Minister of Transport appointed a Departmental Committee on the taxatiqn and regulation of road vehicles. : This Committee issued its second .interim re, port in 1922, when it recommended that the maximum laden Weight for a • heavy motorcar with not more than two axles should be raised to 14 tons, and that the maximum load on any one axle. should not exceed 10 .thns. • It was strongly emphasized that the standards of Speed; weight and construction which 'were , under _ review were established at a time when the commercial-raotor ihdustry, was, in Its 'Infancy, but that since then very valuable Ira-. 'Provements• had been wide in the design; springing, use of resilient 'tyres . and the better distribution of weight, whilst it Was also pointed out that roads were, generally; three • to "four times as strtaig in 1922, as they were in 1990..
These arguments would apply with far greater force to-day because of . the important improvements in road construction and the rapid advances which are apparent In every detail of vehicle design.
Hauliers' Losses Through Sharp Practices by Consignors.
THE haulage industry is not at present such a profitable one that it can afford to lose money through the unscrupulous tactics of certain traders and others who make use of road transport, We have already drawn attention to excessive loading, payment being made only for the nominal load,, but other cases frequently occur. A trader will ring up a haulier and agree verbally to a certain delivery charge, but when the account is presented a considerable reduction on the original estimate is demanded. Sometimes a promise is given that If a comparatively low rate be charged, a large qUantity of merchandise will be sent, but nothing follows the small quantity despatched, for the reason that the larger amount does not exist. It may be said that verbal orders and promises should not be accepted, but the average haulier is not so fully occupied that he can afford to Ignore them, particularly as many are likely to be quite authentic. Goods which have to be sent hurried]; cannot always await the time taken to write and deliver a letter.
If hauliers become better organized there will be no great difficulty in compiling a black list of those who make a practice of such actions ; they would then soon be forced to reconsider their procedure when they found that hauliers would not accept loads from them.
The Qualities of a Good Driver.
IT is almost a truism to state that the commercial-motor owner is very much in the hands of his drivers. In few other industries are the employees so • free from direct supervision. It follows, therefore, that the maximum care is needed in the selection of those drivers, yet how scant is the thought which is usually bestowed on the problem. We doubt if more than a dozen users could, at short notice, describe the qualities they would consider desirable in a good driver, and those who did answer at once would almost certainly specify mechanical sense and the ability to take care of the vehicle as the most important characteristics. Yet they might very well be wrong. The principal qualification of a commercialvehicle driver should surely be the capacity to move the maximum load at minimum cost, and that might, or might not, mean that he should be able to take care of his machine. In some trades the principle of the load first and the machine second has definitely been acknowledged, and drivers are selected on the basis of their capacity to handle the load and with hardly any question as to their driving efficiency. It may very well be that an extension of this method will come in the near future, especially as there is less and less need, as time goes on, for expert knowledge of the vehicle.
Where there is an expert maintenance department available, then there can be no question that the right way to choose drivers is to select them according to their experience and aptness in loading and unloading, also in getting the best out of their vehicles generally, leaving to the maintenance department the attention to the mechanism.
Paying Twice for a Driving Licence.
TT seems very unfair that drivers who are -I-under 21 years of age, but who, under the terms of the new regulations, have qualified to continue driving commercial vehicles, should be forced to sacrifice their original driving licences —even though these may have been in force for only a short time--and pay an additional 5s. each for new licences.
This is an enforced tax which is being much resented, and regarding which numerous complaints have reached us. A driver who, through neglect, may lose his licence has to pay only a small amount for a replacement, yet here are perfectly innocent individuals who, either by design or bureaucratic error, are compelled to expend what in many instances is, in proportion to their emoluments, an appreciable sum. The procedure is both unjust and unnecessary, and we suggest that the money so obtained should be refunded.