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"Rood transport has been developed to only a very small proportion of its capabilities."-
Page 93
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E. B. Hutchinson.
THE carriage of goods by road during the past few years has entered upon a new phase of existence. Whereas until recent times it was largely confined to the immediate locality, the business is now being organized both by haulage contractors and private firms for their own deliveries, so that effective conveyance can be given from one end of the country to the other at rates which, after allowing a margin of profit to the operator, are substantially lower in most cases than the charges made by any other means for conveyance.
The number of vehicles engaged in goods transport has gone up, according to the final report of the Royal Commission, from 150,000 in 1919 to 334,000 in 1930. The industry is, therefore, growing rapidly and is already at least five or six times as big, for instance, as the motorbus business.
The entirely different phases of long-distance transport, each of which at present seems to keep within its own water-tight compartment, are interesting.
There are the concerns directly engaged in haulage which may be sorted out quite definitely into those which specialize in big loads and heavy traffic, and those which deal with light goods• and parcels. There are the great fleets engaged in delivering products of the factories which own them. There are concerns which specialize
in hiring vehicles to firms for their own work on contract terms, covering from one week to five years. Such vehicles generally run about under the name and in the colours of the hirer.
Looking around the country I have come to the conclusion that the field for the use of goods transport, provided it be organized properly and run on economic lines, is simply enormous, and has been developed to only a very small proportion of its capabilities.
Unfortunately, goods-transport people, with but few exceptions, know practically nothing about the economic maintenance and operation of their vehicles. They have much to learn from the passenger side in this respect, where these matters have been brought down to a very fine art.
There is urgent need for co-operation between all firms in the business, for the amalgamation of the smaller units owning fewer than 50 vehicles and for certain firms which are engaged in undesirable practices to change their ways. These things are now not only being talked of but are being done.
In spite of all the difficulties of the present time nobody could be anything but optimistic about the industry, and some are actually even wildly enthusiastic.