SPECIALISTS IN MEAT TRANSPORT.
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T1-1E DEMAND for mobile road transport fleets is, perhaps, greater at the great shipping ports than anywhere eleo in the country. Incoming cargoes have to be rapidly cleared from the quays to the warehouses and inland towns, and very often the quickest, cheapest and most efficient way is roadway transit. Similarly with outward freight from inland towns; and frequently it happens when the closing date for steamers is near at hand, consignors arrange with a haulage contractor to convey the load to the ship's side, instead of trusting to the uncertainties of the railways.
Despite the wholesale cutting of rates, -what those who commission road vehicles do insist upon is dependable service; it is upon this basis, really, that the business of the Liverpool Transport 0o., Ltd., has *valved to its present stage of prosperity.
This concern is one of the largest firms of motor haulage contractors and forwarding agents in the city, and their fleet, rebid.' consists 'mainly of steamers, includes Fodens and Sentinels, and, in the petrol category, Karriers and A.E.C.'s, and Ford 1 ton lorries. In addition, the company control a big number of trailers and insulated lift vans, which are frequently seen in the city streets, and are used for the transport of perishable goads. Every class of road traffic is dealt; with, but a speciality is made of perish-. shies, meat in particular. Carcases are conveyed direct from the ship's side or from the cold storages at Liverpool to all parts of Lancashire and Yorkshire, and to the Potteries. These journeys are made at frequent intervals, but are dependent upon the arrival of steamers. The volume of outward freight; varies, but, all the same, be it great or small, the Transport Co. shifts it Sometimes the vehicles travel as far as 70 GT 80 miles from the home base. Whether steamesrs or petrels be used is according to the demands of the particular job.
Pb Manchester, the Liverpool Transport Co. run a daily service from Liverpool, and there have been occasions when it has been necessary to employ as many as 10 or 15 vehicles on the service. Goads era, of course, conveyed to the intermediate places and elsewhere by other motors not on the daily service. At Manchester, the company have an office, and from here back loads are arranged to Liverpool. On the whole, despite the bad times, which most industries have experienced, the return loads have been fairly constant.
A huge Liverpool dock trade is done between the docks and the warehouses and cold stores. These short hauls, although they do not yield the best results to the motor haulage contractor, owing to delays which cannot be avoided, cannot be shirked; but the employment. of trailers tends to reduce tonmile cost vary appreciably. All the trailers are shod. with rubber tyres.
The Ford vehicles figure inithe company's express delivery services, and are operated not only in the local area, but so far afield as is necessary; that is, when clients .require a lorry for a light load for immediate transit.
The present fleet of vehicles has been developed entirely since the end of the war. By its range—from the nimble tonner to the heaviest steamer—the Transport Co. are able to deal with the lightest to the heaviest loath. As a matter of fact, their transport resources are such that-they are able to deal with loads of any quantity, and of unlimited variety, with vehicles best suited for their transport.. To put the matter in a • nutshell, they strike the keynote of service. As to maintenance and overhauls, the company have their own,garagel,and repair workshops at 13ootle„ whore maintenance work is executed by a 'staff appointed for the purpose' By' keeping in close touch with the arrivals and departures of steamers, and evolving a traffic system sufficiently flexible to adapt itself to the most diverse aooditions, the Liverpool Transport Co. 2.TOa have to be reckoned with in local trahsport circles.