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Some Interesting Figures Showing Cost of Running.
IHAVE been carrying on an interesting corres,pondenee with a man about the cost of running a 4-ton Hallford. lorry. The table at the foot of this page is one outcome of this series of letters, and it shows how economically such a vehicle can be operated when engaged upon, shall I say, congenial employment, which, in this case, means long uninterrupted runs of a 100 miles or so each trip. The standing charges, it should be noted, are apportioned at one quarter of each week's expenditure to each trip, since there are four trips a week. The following criticism should be helpful : Tyres.-: My correspondent anticipates that two' sets will last a year. I very much doubt it. A year's running will amount, on the basis given, to 23,300 miles. In town, on well-paved roads, and. with reasonably careful driving, from 10,000 to 12,000 miles per set might be expected, when his aspiration would be realized. For country use, 8,000 miles is the average, and until he has definite figures to prove the contrary, I have advised my correspondent -to reckon on three sets per annum. This involves the following correction to the first amounts given in the column headed tyre Oast, which should read: its., us., 12s., 12s., and us., instead of the figeres given.
Maintenance.-This is covered, I have assumed, by the amounts given under the heading "Repairs and Renewals." If not, and if my correspondent has not made due allowance for essential stores, such as lamp.? and lamp supplies, whether oil, acetylene or electric, cleaning materials, and other sundries, he needs a separate column for these items, if he has not overlooked these things, but imagines) them to be covered by the amount given in the column in question, then he is short on that account alone, besides being. a little on the underside of what his expenditure on renewals and repairs is likely to be. Instead of 10s. a week, he will find 15s. a little nearer the mark.
Total cost per trip.-The above corrections involve alterations to the amounts given in the column headed "Total [lost per Trip," whichwill now read £5 14s. 4d., £5 Us. 4d., 13s. 4d., £5. 16s. 4c1., and 25 11s. 4d., respectively, while the average cost per mile run in connection with each trip, will be, in pence, 12.0, 11.8, 11.5, 11.5, and 11.8, giving an average, it should be noted, of less than 1s. a mile all in, which is very good indeed. . In a further table I have summarized, for purposes of comparison,' the running casts Only of (a) a 4-tonner, according to. our average figures which were published in this journal on August 30th last; (b) of this Hallford, calculated on the figures given by my correspondent, and (c) in accordance with my corrected version of his costs. Actually, I think, he will be 'safe to reCkon on Pd. a. mile as a. faii. figure for running costs alone, while his standing charges amount to 3d. or W. a mile, on the basis of a 466 mile week, which is what he purposes.