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OPERATORS' STRONG VIEWS ON CONTROLLING `TOO-FREE' TRANSPORT

13th March 1964, Page 78
13th March 1964
Page 78
Page 79
Page 78, 13th March 1964 — OPERATORS' STRONG VIEWS ON CONTROLLING `TOO-FREE' TRANSPORT
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

1. Midland men favour special licences and training

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UST as it is said that every family has its black sheep, so it is also true that the road haulage industry is being blackened by a minority of unscrupulous operators and drivers." This view was put to "The Commercial Motor" last week by Mr. R. N. Ingram, former national chairman of the Road Haulage Association and a member of the Association's national council.

Mr. Ingram continued: "Although great benefit could be derived from driver training in official schools as suggested by Mr. Jack Wood (The Commercial Motor, February 28), I believe the root cause of most serious accidents is not lack of skill but the deliberate taking of risks associated with the working of excessive hours and schedules which are too tight.

"I feel that the worst malpractices with which the industry is bedevilled will be eradicated only by a revision of the licensing system and, most important, its more effective enforcement. The L.A.s and their enforcement staffs are well aware of the problems and are doing all they can, but the latter are hopelessly inadequate numerically. The only answer is a considerable increase in their number.

"The proposals submitted by The R.H.A. to the Geddes Committee would assist in eliminating irresponsible operational standards. But a revised system should be so framed as to ensure that no vehicle was authorized without prior certification of its mechanical fitness and that no operator should be licensed unless he could satisfy the ILA. that he had adequate facilities for the regular maintenance of his vehicles, or had made 'satisfactory arrangements with a reputable repairer for servicing and overhauls.

"So far as working hours, operational schedules and the overloading of vehicles are concerned, it is probable that little of practical value can be achieved other than by an increase in the number of spot checks to 'an extent which would materially increase the danger of detection.

"The road haulage industry is playing a most valuable role in the economic life of the community, and with its already heavy burden of restriction it is deplorable that such proposals as these need to be made. But until the excesses of the relatively few are eradicated, its prestige will continue to suffer and its political opponents will gleefully receive and effectively use the ammunition placed at their disposal."

Over 50 tipping vehicles are included in the fleet operated by Mr. Ingram's company, W. R. Ingram Ltd., Birmingham, and these are mainly engaged on c42 building work. The company also operates a number of artics, concrete mixers and so on.

Whilst Mr. G. W. Mousley of Morton's (Coventry) Ltd. condemns the issue of a licence to a driver that qualifies him to handle a heavy lorry after he has passed a test on a lightweight vehicle and he would like to see the R.H.A. establish driving schools, he would not approve the introduction of renewable licences. In his view existing legislation, insurance requirements and police action can "take care of the bad driver" and he points out that a larger company can select and grade drivers to obtain a high general standard. Every driver who applies for a job with Mortons must satisfy, a skilled tester that he can handle the, type of vehicle on which he will be employed, and less experienced men start work driving a 3-ton van. Later, they may qualify to drive heavier vehicles.

The value of mechanical knowledge and the ability to diagnose faults has been shown by the highly satisfactory record of the two ex-apprentice drivers who are not satisfied if they cannot obtain 200,000 miles of efficient operation from vehicles that normally require a major overhaul at 130,000 miles.

A small number of C-licensed vehicles is included in Morton's fleet of over 100 lorries, which are predominantly artics engaged on long-distance work.

An alternative to more rigid enforcement of the maximum-load and drivinghour regulations is suggested by Mr. E. B. Ellis, of Maiden and Ellis' (Transport) Ltd., Woolstanton, Newcastle, Staffs, who considers that obligatory submission of log sheets monthly to the enforcement authorities might be a cheaper, more effective method of eliminating infringements of the law. The young driver whose main qualification is his willingness to break the law is described by Mr. Ellis as the chief menace to the industry. Licences for h.g.v. drivers would help, and consideration should be given to providing long-service perquisites such as longer holidays and so on.

Mr. Ellis is chairman of the national functional tipping group of the R.H.A. and operates 15 vehicles. These include tippers, flats and vans.

Approval for the establishment of official driving schools, as advocated by Mr. Jack Wood, and the re-introduction of h.g.v, licences are approved by Mr. E. Hughes, group transport manager of the Tarmac Ltd. group of companies, which operate around 800 C-licensed vehicles on a national basis: Whilst recruitment is mainly limited to experienced drivers and the general standard is high, a school-and-licence requirement would, it is considered, enable selection to be more stringent. Drivers over 30 years of 'age are preferred and the upper limit is about 60, although a minority of over-60s have the flexibility of mind adequate to cope with changing traffic conditions. Older drivers are normally offered alternative, lighter work.

In contrast to the experience of some of the hauliers in the area, Tarmac's labour turnover is small. All applicants are given a test by a garage foreman, which includes a talk on transport matters, and a verbal report is made to the depot manager. Latitude is allowed to a new driver who is "unlucky ", and it is significant that Mr. Hughes is reluctant to sack a driver. If a promising applicant has had limited experience of driving he may be advised to re-apply for a job after obtaining further experience with another company.

In the opinion of Mr. N. Cartwright, of P. A. Cartwright and Sons Ltd., Amblecote Staffs, all goods-vehicle drivers should be licensed as such, and they should be required to qualify in various subjects, in addition to demonstrating their driving skill. These should include elementary mechanics and the care of essential accessories, the Construction and Use regulations, the preparation of log sheets, map reading and navigation. Licences should be renewable at intervals of three years or less. Training and education, emphasizes Mr. Cartwright, would be costly to the industry, but would pay off over the years.

The Cartwright fleet numbers about 25 vehicles in the 8to 16-ton category and operations mainly comprise general traffic between the Midlands and South Wales. Although pirates are fairly active on the Wales-Midlands route, no attempt is made to retain traffic by cutting rates.

Mr. Jack Male, of Male and Son (Pensnett) Ltd., Pensnett, and associated companies, points out that "you can see the pirate", who is, therefore, less of a menace to reputable hauliers than fringe operators who are attempting to establish themselves as bona fide contractors, but do not hesitate to overload and to exploit the willingness of youngdrivers to ignore speed-limit and driving-hours regulations. Tipping-vehicle clearing houses which do not operate vehicles are also condemned

by Mr. Male on the grounds that without practical knowledge of the job they often "force" smaller operators to undertake work at unrealistic rates. Driver-training schools would be welcomed and licences should, he suggests, relate specifically to types of vehicle. Training should be undertaken in the driver's own time, as in other industries, which would increase the driver's pride in his job. Such training would be costly to the industry but would pay in the long run.

A ray of light, observes Mr. Male, is shown by the example of a wen-known civil-engineering contractor, engaged on motorways' construction work, who has decided that employing rate-cutters doesn't pay.

The Male companies operate a fleet of 64 vehicles of which the majority are tippers, but which also includes eightwheelers, low-loaders and so on.

P.A.C.B.


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