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TRANSPORT TIPS FOR TRADESMEN.

13th April 1920, Page 16
13th April 1920
Page 16
Page 16, 13th April 1920 — TRANSPORT TIPS FOR TRADESMEN.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Particularly Addressed to Those Who are Replacing Horsed Vehicles by Motors, or Contemplating So Doing.

Load Capacity. .

IT IS NO easy matter for anyone who has not previously operated motor vehicles in his business to determine just what should be the load carrying leapaeity of the vehicles first purchased. The capacity of the horsed vehicles previously used is no safe guide, because it may well be that the change in the source of power will involve, at the same time, a complete change in the organization and the method of covering the ground. As a rough rule, it is, of course, safe to say that, assuming full loads 43aJn be found, the bigger the capacity of the vehicle the lower the cost of haulage per ton-mile. A 3-tonner certainly does not cost twice an much per mile to run as a. 1-tonner. A 5-tonner probably cost only about 25 per cent, more per mile than a 3-tonner. Thus, if full loads are always available, the larger vehicle is always the cheaper operating proposition..

On the other hand, the smaller and lighter vehicles have the advantage in the matter or speed, both legally and mechanically. In. any service for the delivery of goods to large numbers of buyers, who want that delivery to take place as early as possible, the small vehicle is evidently at an advantage. If,. tor instance, we send out three 1-ton vans at 9 o'clock in theemorning, each having to cover a 20-mile run and to spend‘ say, an ,hour on deliveries, the total time of the journey should only be about 2A hour, and practically the whole.of the goods will haviabeen delivered by about 11 o'clock. If a single 3-tonner were used for the same job, it would have to cover about 60 miles and spend about three hours in making deliveries. Thus, the whole journey would occupy probably between eight and nine hours, and many of the deliveries would not have been effected until the latter part of the afternoon.

The case is quite different when the work to be . done consists mainly of the through haulage of .supplies for the purpose of maintaining the stocks of the consignee. In such a ease, the time of delivery does notinnatter to an hour or so. The point is, rather, to carry the stuff as cheaply as possible, and the load capacity of the vehicle should merely be limited by the law and by the weight and bulk of the loads ' available for haulage.

.A Note on Tractors.

The term "tractor " is often wrongly applied ta the heavier types of motor lorry. These are;self-contained vehicles, whereas the main characteristic of the tractor is that it is in the nature of an engine which does not carry any useful load, but hauls that load in a separate vehicle. The ordinaryrsteam tractor is andniature edition of the steam road locomotive. It was originally designed because, by keeping down size and weight, an engine could be produced coming legally into the category of a heavy motorcar,_ and, therefore, allowed to travel atahigher speeds

than a. locomotive, Tb,etractor, when used as a, motorcar, mayeonly draw one trailer at a time. It is preferred to a self-contained vehicle, chiefly in easeasiewhich haulage has to bei conducted under unfavourableiroad conditions, or there is someidefinite advantage in being able to detach the power plant-from. the load.

Supposing, for instance, that,we wished to haul material regularly between two fixed .points. While the tractor is on the road drawing one trailer, a c30

second trailer may be in process of being loaded at one terminal, while a third trailer is being unloaded at the other terminal. By the time the-tractor arrives at its destination, it finds a ready loaded trailer waiting for it. A few minutes euffice in which to unhitch the one and hitch on the othela

Perhaps the principal argument against a tractor is that the useful load does not help the adhesion of the driving wheels of the engine. Also, a tractor and trailer cannot be so conveniently backed in any difficult position as a self-contained vehicle. Moreover, with the law as it now stands, the speed limit and, therefore, the working capacity of any motor vehicle drawing a trailer are unduly restricted. There are many other points for and against the tractor, and these will be dealt with from time to time in other notes.

Why Rubber Tyres ?

Those who have watched the -development of motor transport for the last ten years. or so cannot fail to have noticed the tendency to fit rubber tyres in place of steel tyres, even on the heaviest classes of steam wagon. When one looks at cut and dried estimates of operating costs, this tendency may appear curious. It involves an extra item of perhaps 2d. a mile on account of tyre maintenance. It also, of course, involves additional expense in the first instance. What then, is the meaning of the change? In the first place, the rubber tyre to an extent, protects the mechanism of the vehicle. A part at least of the cost of tyre maintenance is balanced by a reduction in the cost of vehiele,maintenance, especially after the vehicle has been on the road some time.

The next point is that the steel tyred vehicle is particularly unpopular with road authorities. Claims in respect of "extraordinary traffic" are particularly likely to be made against it, especially if it works regularly along country roads not thoroughly strong from the foundations upwards and, therefore, liable to serious injury. The absence of rubber tyres differentiates the vehicleat once from the bulk of other power-propelled machines and makes it easier for it to be fixed upon itsthe supposed criminal on whose shoulders all the blame for road damage can be laid. The law as regards "extraordinary traffie" is by no means clear, and, consequently, so far as possible, one naturally wishes to avoid being dragged into a law suit, the loss of which may bea, costly matter. The next -and„perhaps, the most important point of all is that the general law governing the use of vehicles on roads shows a marked preference for the rubber, as against the metal tyre. All alongtthe scale, the rnlober-tyred vehicle is legally permitted a higher speed than the metal tyred vehicle of the same weight. The sole exception to this rule is found when a trailer is hauled. Even here, we may expect an early alteration in the law such as to favour the rubber tyre even more strongly.

Leaving legal points out of the question, the rubber-tyred vehicle is mechanically capable of maintaining a higher average speedthan the steel-tyred vehicle of equal weight and with equal load. Thus, the fittinglof rubber tyres gives a bigger radius of action to the vehicle and permits of a bigger daily mileage. Though the actual running costs per mile may be increased by the item of tyre maintenance, the standing charges per mile are reduced, and the net result generally is that the fltting of rubber tyres turn out to be a positive economy.

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