OPINIONS
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QUERIES
CASE DISMISSED BUT COSTS TOTAL £10.
[5320] On March 22 we wrote to ask your advice regarding a summons that we had received for "not causing to be kept" a current record of a driver's hours. Notwithstanding the fact that we sought further opinion, you might be interested to learn the result of this case.
We briefed counsel, who pointed out that drivers had been carefully instructed in such matters, that our log sheets clearly bore further instructions and that we .did everything possible to cause the records to be kept. Without calling upon our transport manager as witness, the bench dismissed the case, but, despite our counsel's application, refused to allow us costs.
Doubtless such grievances, have been ventilated in your columns before, but we consider it an outrageous injustice that we should be put to the expense of solicitors' fees, counsel's brief, travelling expenses, and the loss of time in interviews, etc.
The information upon which the case was dismissed was all available before the summons was issued, and, without having committed any offence whatsoever, we are the losers by at least £10.
The growing estrangement between the police and road users cannot but be increased by such cases.
H. MORRIS, Director.
London, N.16. (For M. A. Morris, Ltd.) IMPROVING THE INDUSTRY'S PUBLICITY.
[53211 Whatever measure of control may be exercised over transport, short of nationalization, there will always be a competitive factor amongst the various forms of service. What the road-haulage industry lacks is a united and effective " sales " force.
I suggest, therefore, that a committee of " ways and means," representative of every class of operator, be appointed by the British Road Federation and that the advice of an eminent authority on publicity, such as Sir Charles Higharn, be invited.
The four railway companies, by the medium of large posters in prominent positions, are thanking the public for its suppor. in 1937 and soliciting its custom for 1938. The read-haulage industry has, as usual, contented itself with a " handful " of calendars distributed by individual operators to their particular circles. Co-operative force and value lie in the first; the second is truly indicative of the lack of unity—always the characteristic of the industry.
Road haulage has as deep a purse as anyone else. This purse must be produced if traffic is to be retained. The only way to sell your "wares" is to shout them up and &min the country and then back them by service. Well-known theatre-booking agents have a slogan: "You want the best seats—we have them." I wonder who thought of that, and I wonder if something equally striking could be devised for the haulier? It could be stamped on every envelope, letter heading and invoice, and could be carried up and down the country, through every village, town and city by the vehicles themselves. 450,000, with voluntary assistance, can cover a lot of publicity annually and would require but a very moderate levy per ton of unladen weight.
London, S.W.1. E. H. B. PALMER.
STEAM-WAGON COSTS PUZZLE A READER.
[53221 Please send me the latest edition of The Commercial "Motor Tables of Operating Costs.
There is one item in the last Table that I cannot quite understand ; it is the 28s. which you allow for the driver's mate of a steam lorry. It must, of course, refer to a lad, but is that a fair estimate of cost?
Given the cost per mile (total) for a 100-mile week and one of 200 miles, what is the best method of calculating, say, for a 170-mile week? I have tried two or three methods, but each gives a different result.
Sheffield, 5. G. MT1NTON.
Lit has always been customary in The Commercial Motor Tables of Operating Costs, when dealing with a steam wagon, to allow for only 50 per cent. of the mate's wages against the running cost of the vehicle, the balance being debited against overhead and establishment charges. This is, in part, a recognition of the fact that there are certain steam wagons on which a mate is not absolutely necessary, also, in part, of the fact that the mate tIoes a certain amount of loading and unloading and this materially helps to reduce the all-in cost of transport. The best way to calculate a total cost or cost per mile , for odd miles ges is as follows. I will consider your figure of 170 miles and a steam wagon for a 7-ton load. Take the cost per mile as 5.60d., and multiply that by 170. The result is 79s. 4d. Add the total standing charges per week, 182s. 3d. The total is 261s. 7d., .which equals £13 1s, 7d. That is the total cost per week, running 170 miles. You will note that it comes between the figures of £12 12s. for 100 miles and £14 9s. for 200 miles. If you reduce that total, £13 1s. 7d. to pence, 3,139d. and divide by 170, you get 18.47 as the cost in pence per mile.—S.T.R.]
COMBINES, FINANCIAL AND OTHERWISE.
[5323] Carry on, please, and posterity will bless you. The industry is facing the gravest crisis in its history, and, if I may say so, your recent leaders and S.T.R.'s articles are not only opportune but invaluable to those who prefer to get " on " rather than "out."
Nobody in his right senses objects to amalgamation schemes arranged to benefit the industry; it is when they are calculated to betray the industry that "no relaxation is possible," and, believe me, a betrayal is imminent !
Fifteen years ago I asserted that potential rats had entered the industry, and, sure enough, they have played havoc with it. Posing as "white miee," they have performed tricks to entertain their victims, now some of those victims are ready to snatch at any bait, even risking virus. Some people advocated licensing solely because they hoped to make pots of money by selling licences. They actually admitted this to me.
I am glad that you propose to publish a real plan, and in the meantime I beg of those who are nibbling at other plans to stop at once. Contrary to the belief of many, the plans before .us at present are not the brain wave of some philanthropist; similar plans were in being some years ago. Financial combines are often intended to benefit those who arrange them and who are not generally fairy godfathers to the !' weak and small."
Your message, "You have been warned," ought to be sufficient for those toying with the question of financial combines, but may I add that I have had in my possession for some years positive documentary evidence of "plans for one huge combine to embrace the whole country ; a truly national affair, revolutionary in character. A central company to provide all necessary finance. The shires to be placed on the 'market and form reliable market securities." That is not my description of the said combine ; the words are copied from the document.
To my mind, the aforesaid plans are indistinguishable from those floating around to-clay ; moreover, those who were responsible for the plans of years ago are amongst the enthusiasts of to-day's schemes and, curiously enough, the individuals are ontside the industry. That being so, where does their interest some in? Naturally. I feel that the schemes before us to-day are intended to provide the nucleus for the huge combine.
My great fear is that if the present plans mature, the combine will afford the railways a golden opportunity to crush it. But how? Well, one could enlarge upon that aspect considerably, but common sense dictates that it would be futile to pit a road combine, of any size whatever, against' the immense, almost illimitable financial resources of the railways. Indeed, records prove it, for recently (objecting to my having reminded him that he sold his bus business to the railways) Mr. E. B. Hutchinson writes :— "I had no business of my own to sell. The busi ness of which I was chairman and managing director, and of which I owned about 1 per cent. of the capital, was attacked by the full might of the L.N.E.R., with competing services, and slashed fare competitors, whom the railways guaranteed against loss, and eventually, much against my will, the business fell into the hands of the railways concerned. I estimate the loss incurred by the shareholders, because of the railway attacks, at somewhere in the neighbourhood of £1,000,000. The whole thing was a complete disaster."
Thus, Mr. Hutchinson provides us with a perfect example of the ease with which the railways can crush a combination of erstwhile units. His admitted experience proves far more convincing evidence than any conceivable argument which can be adduced against potential road combines. Obviously the railway's striking achievement regarding this small bus combine would be repeated with an even greater relish in respect of the proposed huge haulage combine.
One million pounds lost and the business. too. Think of it—a tragedy. A combine several times greater is now proposed. Well, "You have been warned," and if you ignore the warning—the penalty is a worse tragedy. WALTER GassmoNs. Managing Director. (For Walter Gammons, Ltd.) London, E.C.2.
no) MORE ON VACUUM BRAKES FOR TRAILERS.
[53241 We have read with interest Mr. J. A. Walker's letter in your issue of March 4, under the heading "Who Introduced Vacuum Brakes for Trailers?"
We purchased a Brockhouse trailer in 1933 which was fitted with vacuum brakes, the vehicle being on view at the Commercial Motor Show at Olympia in November of that year, so that our own surprise is even greater than Mr. Walker's.
There certainly seems to be something in the old tag which says "There is nothing new under the sun." ' Blandford. D. S. CUFF, for D. and H. Cuff.
-DESIGN FOR AN AMBULANCE BODY.
[5325] I wish to construct an ambulance body on an Austin Twenty chassis, and having been a reader of your valuable paper for a considerable time I am wondering whether you could let me have constructional details and a design of a really modern body of this type.
It would be required to accommodate a stretcher on wheels at the near side, and a folding platform to accommodate a seat and backrest, which could be let down to form a runner for an additional stretcher when required. Two folding seats should also be fitted at the rear of the body, immediately inside the doors.
I should be glad if you could also let me have cletaiis of manufacturers and suppliers of interior equipment, stretchers. etc. W.H. Birmingham.
[If you will write to Mr. H. J. Butler, 46, Hart Grove, Ealing Common, London: W.5, he will quote you a fee for snaking a scale working drawing embodying the features of the ambulance which you describe and designed to fit the Austin chassis. With regard to manufacturers and suppliers of ambulance interior equipment, there are the followhsg:—Carters (J. and A.), Ltd., 125-129, Great Portland Street, London, W.1; Charles Hurst, Ltd., Montgomery Street. Belfast; H. Lomas, Ltd., 18, City Road, Manchester.--En.]
DISPOSING OF A " FOUNDLING " LORRY.
[53261 In January, 1937, we were approached by a lorry driver who asked us if we could find room to park his lorry, which had broken down. It was brought in and a few days later a mechanic came and removed the broken part for repair but we heard no more.
In July of that year, after a lot of inquiries, our solicitor traced the owners and commenced negotiations with their solicitors with regard to the ground rent for this vehicle.
In December the solicitor for the owner notified us that, so far as he was concerned, he had finished with the case (I have since heard that the firm owning the lorry had gone bankrupt and the principal could not be traced).
As we -would like to get this lorry out of our way and obtain the rent owing, I would like to know if we could sell the lorry, and, if so, if we have any legal
formalities to go through. A.K. Manchester.
[The custom in the circumstances you state is to put an advertisement in the daily Press, addressed to the owner or owners of the motor vehicle (quoting its registration letters and number)and stating that, unless the charges for garage rent, amounting to e— since January, 1937, with current rent in addition are paid to you within one month from this date (that of the advertisement), the vehicle will be sold to defray the rent and sale expenses. ED.