OPINIONS and QUERIES
Page 21
Page 22
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of com mercial motors. Letters should be written on only one side of the paper. The right of abbreviation is reserved and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted. Queries must be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope.
REPAIRS TO CIVILIAN MOTOR VEHICLES WE think that, perhaps, the enclosed letter, addressed . VY to the Minister of Transport, may be of interest to other operators.
We have received a reply to this letter, which we also enclose. At the same time we were contacted by the local Ministry of Transport representative, who suggests giving the work to small local garages whom we previously did not associate with lorry-repair service, but he was most anxious to be of help to us.
We realize the whole difficulty of the position, think that the matter has been fairly dealt with and feel that it might be of interest,to other transport concerns.
One point that we "believe should be stressed, is the desirability of more service being carried out by the military authorities themselves to their own vehicles, but here again we realize that the position might be interpreted as being unfair to some of the local repair garages. H. B. PATEN, Managing Director, for Paten and Co. (Peterborough), Ltd. Peterborough.
Letter to the Minister of Transport
BEFORE the war we ran a fleet of eight commercial vehicles, which has been reduced to four by commandeering and other causes, and we are having the greatest trouble to keep our deliveries going, whilst, in addition, we have to hire when we can.
An extraordinary development has, however, arisen recently, in which we feel you, as Minister of Transport, will be interested. Practically all the competent local garages have been forced by the local military authorities to take into theit repair shops so many military vehicles that they have told us quite frankly that they cannot undertake repairs to vehicles belonging to non-military transport fleets.
Unless of a very minor or superficial nature; if a vehicle were damaged due to a road accident, or if an engine break down owing to bearing trouble, or even if ordinary decarbonizing were necessary, we understand that none of these local service garages can do anything to help.
Very rapidly non-military vehicles are likely therefore to And themselves stranded, with no means for effecting repairs beyond ordinary running repairs, and thd result will be a serious diminution in local transport available. „Careful as one is, we know in practice, particularly with Pool petrol, that engines do need attention from time to time, and with the best will in the world, on the part of drivers and transport managers, unless service facilities be available by local garages, transport firms without their own service garage will soon be in very great difficulties. The local military authorities have apparently told these garages that unless they do give themselves entirely over to the military work they will be commandeered. The effect is that they are completely engaged and cannot keep their old friends going. We have had this information in regard to Reeds Garage, Murkett Bros., and Clarke Bros., of Peterborough, and we believe it applies to some of the others. In any case, the two main service garages in this district are the two mentioned first.
We feel sure that the Ministry, when it appreciates the position, will perhaps think it desirable to maintain some sort of service for non-military vehicles and will give the whole matter consideration. We would have thought that many military units could, from their ordinary troops, have round sufficient men with servicing knowledge to do a lot of their work themselves, also this would surely be excellent training for • the men, who, when the vehicles were running abroad and away from garage 'facilities, would simply have to do running repairs themselves.
We realizethat local garages have asked for some military work, but the matter appears now to have been taken too far. We would be very much obliged if you would kindly give the matter your careful consideration and let us know in due course if you will be able to take any action. We feel sure that, as an .experienced motorist familiar with transport problems, you will realize that all of us who are trying to keep businesses going on a moderately efficient basis like to feel that our efforts are being fairly .appreciated by the Government Departments concerned.
H. B. PATEN. .
Reply from the Ministry of Transport .
I AM directed by the Minister of Transport to. refer to I your letter and to say that lie,has been in communication with the Regional Transport Commissioner on the subject of the difficulties which you have experienced, and understands that the Commissioner has been able to assist you.
I am to add that the maintenance of civilian transport in an efficient condition, including the question of the supply of labour • for repairs, constantly engages the Minister's attention. D. C. HAZELGROVE.
THE DRIVER WHO CANNOT . FIND WORK WITH reference to the letter signed H.G.D,,which " you published under "Opinions and Queries" in your issue dated January 3; I regret that I did not include my name and address. This was because I was shortly moving. I may add that I never fail to put my name and address when applying for a position.
Lately I have been driving a lorry of lighter weight than I am used to, but I am tired of working on Government jobs where the men who control the transport are square pegs in round holes.. Vehicles are broken up daily through ill usage, and this at a time when we are so short of spares, and often vehicles stand idle for weeks for this reason, whichwaste could be avoided if the men in charge realized that lorries are like human beings, and cannot be abused for ever without causing . trouble.
Please dc not think that I am grousing. I am willing and eager to do my bit, but I am seeking a job where I can give consideration to ray wagon and be appreciated.
• I still do not wish my name and a.ddress to be published, but attach them so that any letters can be for warded to me through you., H .G .D. York.
SOME , ORPHANS OF THE STORM
I WOULD like, on behalf of the motor-vehicle fitters of this unit, to ask you a favour. We are attached to an R.A.O.C. workshop and although engaged in the
same work as the R.A.O.C. and R.A.S.C. workshops, We are not fortunate enough to be included in the motor Trades Comforts Fund,
There are 14 of us in a billet and we wondered if you could assist us to obtain a small radio set by pass-. ing this letter to the issuers of the comforts to workshops similar to ours. The Ordnance fitters with whom we work received a fine little portable from them some time ago, but as they are billeted away from us we decided to appeal to you, as we are all heavy transport workers in civil lite and are, naturally, readers of The Commercial Motor. We. still make a rush for it whenever we are able to obtain a copy, but being a mobile unit, this is sometimes pretty difficult.
We were once the proud possessors of a radio set presented to us by Lord Nuffield, but, unfortunately, we had to leave that behind when we were brought home from Dunkirk. . SIGNALMAN. Fitters Billet, M. Section, 3rd Divisional Signals, Home Forces.
[We appreciate the difficult position in which you find yourselves, and we have written to the honorary treasurer, Lieut.-Colonel D. C. MeLagan, D.S.O., M.B.E., to see what can be done in the matter. Perhaps, in the meantimp, any reader who can spare a small radio set to help these men to while away what must sometimes he a tedious time would write to us, but We do not want any sets to be sent to these offices, as we are not ourselves operating this kind of fund.—E..1