Work study investigation on transport
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BECAUSE transport is such a long-established and traditional industry, it is seemingly inevitable that most efforts directed towards increasing efficiency are related to points of detail rather than revolutionary improvements. It should not be overlooked, however, that the accumulative effect of gradual improvement over many years can of itself constitute a major improvement.
Long-established industries, and particularly service industries such as transport, therefore appear to be at a disadvantage when, as in the case of the Prices and Incomes Board's report, improvements are measured in a relatively short span of years.
Because they were established in comparatively large operating units from the outset, the main groups of the larger bus companies are an example in emphasizing this point. Due to their size they were able to maintain adequate record and costing systems from the outset and their numerous depots provided the opportunity for valid comparisons as to relative efficiency. Therefore, since such bus groups were set up 40 years or so ago much as we know them today in the areas they cover, successive generations of transport men of all grades have applied their skill to improving efficiency and reducing costs. With such an accumulation of information and knowledge it is all but inevitable that the possibility for further improvements becomes even more difficult and even when achieved is—to the layman at least—only marginal.
Detached view useful Nevertheless, and assuming no technical breakthrough is in the offing to justify a complete reappraisal of the whole situation operators must continue to be on their guard against accepting the present level of efficiency as all but finality. Because of the practical aspect of transport operation both in the goods and passenger field, advice from outside has often in the past proved so unrealistic as to cast doubt on future advice from a similar source.
But the sheer repetitiveness of many transport services can mitigate against initiating new appraisals. In the appropriate circumstances it is therefore advantageous to step back and take a detached view as to the possibilities of improving efficiency away from the pressing demands and responsibility inevitable in day to day transport management.
An example of such an exercise has been that taken by Liverpool Corporation in applying work study techniques to local government transport operation. Annual savings amounting to £125,000 are claimed to have been achieved by Liverpool City Council. This follows the application of work study techniques both by consultants and by the City Transport Department's own work study group to the organizational problems and methods associated with the servicing and cleaning of public service vehicles and the introduction of an incentive bonus scheme.
Liverpool Corporation operates approximately 1,160 buses which are distributed between the department's eight garages, the largest of which houses 225 buses. Buses not requiring maintenance are driven by a shunter to the servicing bay where they are vacuum-cleaned. During this operation a pump attendant fills the fuel tank using high-speed fuel pumps. Delivery hoses have automatic shunt-off nozzles. While the fuel tank is being automatically filled, the attendant is able to check and, if necessary, replenish the engine oil and top up the radiator with water. When these operations have been completed, a shunter drives the vehicle through an automatic water washing machine and then to its parking location. Buses requiring maintenance receive similar attention after their maintenance tasks have been completed.
Cleaning and servicing
Regarding vehicle cleaning and servicing, as vehicles run into each garage from morning peak-hour services, a gate marshaller checks each vehicle against a list containing full information on those buses scheduled for some form of maintenance. Each vehicle requiring attention is identified and the driver instructed where the vehicle must be parked.
Every vehicle is water washed three times a week and more frequently in adverse conditions. All other cleaning work is carried out after the vehicles have been finally parked. The interior and exterior of each bus is thoroughly soap washed every four weeks and the whole of this work is undertaken by day-shift cleaners.
To reduce night-shift working to a minimum, buses operated on all-day service only are cleansed and serviced by a comparatively small work force of night cleaners. Similarly regarding garage and domestic cleaning, most work of this nature is carried out by day-shift bonus operatives. The floors of administrative premises and canteens used by traffic personnel during the day are cleaned at night.
Chassis cleaning—two methods
To meet the requirements of vehicle greasing and chassis cleaning, btises are greased every 8,000 miles under incentive scheme arrangements. The fleet mileage for the year ended March 31, 1967, was approximately 36m. Two methods of chassis cleaning have been adopted. By one method the accumulation of road dirt and grease is removed by using a detergent with steam at high pressure. With the second method the operator sprays the chassis and its components with a solution of paraffin and emulsifier. After an adequate soak time, during which the solution loosens the contamination, the operator washes off the dirt with a hydro-air gun.
Prior to the introduction of an incentive bonus scheme, two or three buses a day were being cleaned by each operator. One man now cleans seven or eight vehicles a day, this being equivalent to an increase in output of 166 per cent. All shunting operations associated with the movement of buses within or between works and garages, the changing of buses developing defects while in service, and the duties connected with the allocating of vehicles to traffic duties likewise have been work studied. Shunters also perform bus and garage cleaning work and output has increased by approximately 190 per cent.
Other schemes
Other schemes which have been applied concern main stores counter hands employed on duties which include the receipt and issue of material. Delivery vehicle drivers are operating under incentive bonus scheme conditions and garage refuse collection and disposal have also been studied. Operatives engaged upon the priority work associated with vehicles undergoing interior and exterior painting are working under similar conditions.
In connection with earnings, allowed times have been established for every operation and job specifications have been prepared for each task. These have been assembled into standard data manuals, with copies being circulated to each section concerned.
Each operator completes a daily work sheet which he hands in at the end of the shift. For a standard performance of 80 units of work per hour, operators are paid 33.5 per cent of the prevailing basic hourly rate as a bonus and are given the opportunity, by requesting additional work, to earn a maximum bonus of 45 per cent. In order to prevent undue fatigue and to safeguard the quality of work, bonus is not paid for performance in excess of this limit. Bonus is calculated daily and paid weekly. Moreover it is paid only for work that has been completed to the standard required by the management.
Labour cost control
To facilitate labour cost control, the weekly standard output and labour cost have been determined for each section operating the incentive bonus scheme. Details of weekly output and variation in labour costs are circulated to the general manager and heads of sections. By using regular control statistics sections lacking in efficiency can be readily noticed.
During the course of investigation and before the schemes were introduced employees were consulted through the National Union of General and Municipal Workers, and the Transport and General Workers Union. The unions were assured that the introduction of the incentive bonus scheme would not result in redundancy of labour since normal wastage had been accepted as the avenue for reducing excess labour. A pool of surplus labour was formed, each member of which retained his original rate of pay and was found alternative work.
Each scheme was operated for a trial period and after that time the operatives had the right either to accept or reject the scheme. Initially a "running in" allowance of 15 per cent, 10 per cent and 5 per cent was paid for the first three weeks of operation to compensate for organizational difficulties at the start of the scheme. An allowance of 15 per cent was made in labour complements to cover sickness and holidays.
Better results
As to labour costs and output, the cost of 1,000 allowed minutes of work has been reduced by approximately 65 per cent and the output has increased generally by approximately 150 per cent. Better results have been achieved by introducing control over all operations through the medium of work study.