OPINIONS and QUERIES Oil Engines for Coaches and Long-distance Buses.
Page 51
Page 52
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Editor, TEE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3348] Sir,---With great interest, I have read your very fine article reporting a trial run of the fastest oil-engined bus in the wald. It cannot fail also to be of great interest to the many important* road-transport concerns which have, during the past two or three years, done so much to promote this fast and comfortable means for travel over long distances. It is, however, curious that in spite of all that has been said and written on this subject there is not one long-distance bus or coach running on heavy oil. This is the more so when one considers the vital need to-day to economize in runningocosts. Taking as an example the run from Newcastle to London and back—a matter of, say, 540 miles. This fast oil-engined vehicle with a gross load of nearly 8 tons will do this round trip for a fuel cost of 12s. 6d. and a lubricating-oll'consumption of half a gallon, and this at a maximum speed of over 45 m.p.h. and an average speed of over 27 m.p.h., with good acceleration and powerful braking gear.
, Tyres and maintenance costs are at most no higher than those of petrol busen probably less as regards maintenance, according to recent results over 60,000 miles running of a heavy-oil bus.
The actual fuel costs of a petrol bus over these 540 miles would be at least £3 10s. and probably £4. At the lower figure the saving is no less than £8 12s. 6d, per week, which at 50 weeks per year means the sum of £431 5s. annually, i.e., assuming three regular round trips per week, which. is, I believe, what the petrol buses actually do now.
An all-British oil-engined bus can be bought to-day at less than £400 above the cost of a similar petrol vehicle. Surely, then, it cannot fail to be an attractive proposition to long-distance bus owners?
Leeds. W. H. GODDARD.
Unfair Treatment by Magistrates.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3349] Sir,-1 noted with interest a paragraph in a recent issue under the heading "Prosecution for Excessive Noise." Does the Minister of Transport really know what happens in very many cases of prosecution for noise and defective silencers? In the first instance the police stop the majority of the vehicles with the sole intent of "looking them over" and finding trouble. This they quickly do, especially if the vehicle happens to be a few years old, and in consequence the owners are summoned on one or several instances under the Acts. Many London magistrates will not allow a limited company to plead awl consequently even if such company be convinced that a vehicle is not at fault, it has to plead guilty to avoid being legally represented, which is a costly matter and a loss of time for drivers, etc. To satisfy the magistrate that yOu are not guilty it is generally necessary to produce the lorry at the court, and you will realize the loss this entails. If the magistrate does allow the company to plead, he has the constable's evidence against it. A,s the owner of a large fleet remarked to me only the other day, "I am fed up to the teeth." I think this remark applies to many of us. STEVE EABTMEAD, Director, London, E.C.1. For Steve Eastmead, Ltd.
A Multum in Parvo Inquiry.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3350] Sir,—We read your journal weekly with great interest, especially so at present, because of the queries relating to the effects of the Road Traffic Act, • 1930.
We have a list of queries on matters that come under the jurisdiction of the new Act; these are as follow :— 1. We have enclosed a handbill—[Not reproduced. —ED.1----wbich was distributed to the neighbouring public. This service was warmly appreciated. The hackney-carriage authorities intervened and stopped us. We then applied for authority to the watch committee. Their answer was in the negative. We were • said.. to be contravening .Act 1847, section 4. We do not know the position with regard to the new Act. We should be glad ef your opinion whether we are in the wrong in carrying on this "door to door" idea, and should the Yorkshire Area Commissioner's authority be asked? If his answer should be no, could our clients book with an agent and the agent book our vehicle as a contract carriage? Would any authority be necessary to carry on then?
2. We have several six-seater private-hire cars. These we run 'to several Yorkshire and Lancashire seaside resorts at so much per car or so much per seat. Does the fact of our dividing the car up at separate fares bring it under the ruling of a necessary service licence and need for' the commissioner's authority? Note, the ears are run to mutually arranged times.
3. In conjunction with these hire cars, we fix hght two-wheeled trailers weighing approximately 2 cwt. Do these trailers limit the speed to 20 m.p.h. as detailed in the Act? These trailers are used to convey bulky luggage, such as prams, invalid chairs, etc., at the same time as the party. Should this type of trailer have brakes to comply with the Act?
4. We happen to owll the very Tjnic coach, the photo Of which, is reprinted on page 903, of February . 10th issue. This coach we intend to .run .every Saturday (only) to the North Wales resorts, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay and Llandudno from Leeds and the Yorkshire towns we pass through en route, picking up and setting down. We assume we shall have to ask the 029
Yorkshire commissioner's authority, and also get • it backed by the commissioners of the other areas we touch. Is this the procedure? Have the places for picking up and setting down to be garages en route or any definite place? We also intend to run a similar Sunday (only)service from Leeds to Keswick and the Lake District centres en route. We assume similar application to the commissioner is necessary. Is this so?
5. If. we run a series a 40-mile evening trips, say, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening of each week between June and September, catering for passengers at a fixed fare, do we need authority and any licence for these?
0. In the event of our catering for passengers at separate fares for a day trip from Leeds to. one resort or a circular tour of more than one resort, the route of which lies over more than One commissioned area, do we need authority, and for each area, say, at Easter
or Whitsuntide, etc.? • 7. In the case of office trips, choir trips, etc., no authority is necessary, we understand. Is this so?
8. Our coach is at present licensed as a hackney (private-hire). Will there be the need for a licence to "ply for hire" to undertake the above programme? Under this present licence does it constitute a publicservice vehicle and so necessitate the completing of the statistical return form F.S.74?
9. Should we be right if we arranged to pick up passengers for the foregoing services at taw appointed agents, whether they be garages or not?
We feel we are taxing your kindness, but we should greatly appreciate your help if you could Clear our uncertain atmosphere. J. T. ROGERS, Leeds. For J. T. Rogers aid Co..
[1. (a) There is no doubt that; as the law now stands, the use of handbills amounts to plying for hire, and that, consequently, a licence is required under the Town Police Clauses Acts 1847 and 1889.
(b) Under the Road Traffic Act the question of plying for hire will not arise, but a vehicle may not be used for carrying passengers for hire at separate fares unless the proprietor holds a public service vehicle licence and a road service licence. When so licensed the vehicle may only be used for such purposes as are authorized by the licence and the conditions attached thereto.
(c) It will not be permissible for an agent to hire a vehicle as a whole and then to use it for carrying passengers at separate fares, because the vehicle will then be a stage carriage or an express carriage.
2. If a vehicle seating less than eight passengers be used for carrying passengers at separate fares the proprietor will require to have a road service licence for it. 3. (a) The maximum speed of a passenger-carrying motorcar drawing a trailer is 20 m.p.h. (b) Any trailer drawn by a motor vehicle must have a brake. Unless the driver be in a position readily to operate the brakes on the trailer as well as the brakes of the motor vehicle a second person must be carried who is in a position and competent efficiently to apply the brakes of the trailer. These requirements do not apply if the trailer does not exceed one ton in weight unladen, and the brakes of the trailer automatically come into operation on the overrun of the trailer. 4. (a) Where a vehicle is used as a stage carriage or an express carriage within more than one traffic area, the proprietor must obtain a road service licence from the commissioners of one of the areas, and have it backed by the commissioners of each of the other areas Within which the service is operated. (b) When granting or heeling licences the commissioners may impose conditions as to the places at which passengers may, or may not, be taken up or set down. 5. Road service licences will be required whenever passengers arc carried for trips of any kind at separate fares. Where a charge of a fixed fare for the whole trip is made the vehicle will be an express carriage if the fares be not less than one shilling.
6. Road service licences will-be required.
7. If in the case of office trips, choir trips, etc., a vehicle is let as a whole a public service vehicle licence
will be required, but a road service licence will not be necessary. The vehicle in such a case will be a contract carriage.
c30 S. Licences to ply for hire will be replaced by roadservice licences and will no longer be required. Any vehicle carrying passengers for hire at separate fares, and any vehicle seating more than seven passengers and let as a whole, is a public service vehicle under the Road Traffic Act, and it is therefore necessary for the owner to complete the statistical return Form F.S.74.
9. See paragraph 4 (b) above.-En.]
Running a Seven-seater Coach..
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3351] Sir,-I would be obliged if you would inform me of my legal position in the following.
For some time I have been contemplating an extension of my hire business with a seven-seater limousine service, one return journey per day.
If the passengers are booked and picked up at my agent's office will it be necessary, under the new regulations, to obtain a public-service-vehicle licence, or can I operate the vehicles as private cars?
Newcastle-on-Tyne. DAIMLER.
[If you carry passengers at separate fares in a seven-seater vehicle the vehicle will be a stage carriage or an express carriage for which you will require a road service licence as well as a public service vehicle licence.
Such vehicles can be operated as private cars only if they are let as a whole, and are not used for "plying for hire."-En.]
An Absurd Payment for Vehicle Hire.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3352] Sir,---I should be glad if you would help us with your advice re the hire of a 30-cwt. lorry. This vehicle was hired by a firm on the condition that they would pay a fair price for it. It was arranged that they should find their own oil and petrol and provide a driver. I have since rendered them an account for £5, which represents five days' hire; they say this is excessive and offer 10s. per day.
The mileage during the five days was 347. What do you suggest would be a fair charge? TROUBLED. Cardiff.
[Your actual operating costs for a 350-mile week are £9, less the cost of petrol £1 10s.-' oil is. and driver's wages, which in the above total are taken to be fa 6s. The net figure is therefore £4 as., and the 15 you are proposing to charge will show you a gross profit of only 17s., which is quite inadequate. A fair charge would be £7. The 10s. per day which is offered to you will not cover your actual out-of-pocket expenditure on the vehicle.S.T.R.] The Cost of Operating a 30-cwt. Lorry.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3353] Sir,-I have been asked to quote rates for a 30-cwt. vehicle delivering goods around London. On some days the mileage would be 15, weight 10 cwt., work approximately two hours. On other days the vehicle might cover 70 miles with 30-cwt. load, and work for approximately eight hours.
I am thinking of buying a 30-cwt. reconditioned vehicle at 1150. Will you kindly inform me as to what rates I should charge? Driver's wages I put at £3 weekly, garage 10s., insurance approximately £25 yearly, tax £20 yearly. W. BLOW. London, N.17.
[Your standing charges per annum will be £235, comprising: licen,ce, 120; wages, £156; garage, 126; insurance, £25; interest on first cost, £8. That is £4 15s. per week or 2s. per hour. Add 1s. 6d. per hour for establishment' costs and profit, this will total 3s. 6d, per hour as a basis for a time charge, to which must be added 34d. per mile run. If you have other work on the day when you are engaged only on this particular contract for a couple of hours, then you can charge at the rate of 3s. 6d. per hour plus 30. per mile. If you may not take other work you should charge at the rate of £8 per week plus 31d, per