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by George Wilmot Senior Lecturer in Transport Studies, University of London.
Guidelines for C1T Finals
THE SPECIMEN question papers recently issued by the Chartered Institute of Transport for its new Final examination give a number of clues about the way in which this examination will take. shape. Eight subjects must be selected from 16 choices, provided that candidates take "Control and Organization of Transport" as a compulsory subject and sit at least one (but not more than three) transport "modal" papers, leaving four, five or six papers to be taken in the "discipline" section.
For the road transport student there is a better balance of subjects in comparison with the old Associate Membership examination. But the path to success will not be easy. The compulsory "Control and Organization of Transport" is set widely with the two specimen papers ranging from the Channel Tunnel, a discussion of transport as a "political shuttlecock" and transport policies in the EEC. There is a specific question on road freight on one paper and the other contains one on road passenger, but there is no guarantee that this will be the pattern in the future.
In the "modal" papers, the own account operator should have few problems in the Physical Distribution Management section, although a sound knowledge of industrial relations, warehousing techniques and freight modes other than road seem to be essential.
The road freight transport papers, too, need have few terrors for those in public haulage since there is a good balance between specific, more factual questions and those demanding analysis. Nevertheless, a knowledge of work study and marketing techniques would seem to be desirable attributes.
The road passenger transport specimen questions are brief and to the point. To anyone with a good knowledge of operating and management techniques in the industry, this paper should present no difficulties.
A much greater problem is posed by the "discipline" papers. Here the going will be much harder. The specimen transport economics paper tests knowledge of general economic concepts and their application to transport problems. But it should be noted that details of more than one mode of transport will be required to answer the questions fully. The examples shown for the manpower and industrial relations paper are very reasonable and it is obvious that practical experience of dealing with labour will be essential. I can advise road transport students to take these two papers but finding other options becomes increasingly difficult.
The specimens of the paper entitled "Quantitive Method" are fair and cover a good deal of ground but it would be a waste of time for candidates to attempt this paper unless they have a good grasp of statistical analysis, can apply concepts like critical path analysis and routeing algorithms, and have experience of operational research techniques. The same may be said about the paper Management Accounting and Finance where the majority of the questions expect a basic knowledge of accountancy method and many of the questions are not directly related to transport.
There appears to be something for everyone in the transport sociology option but, equally, this is the type of paper in which it is all too easy to waffle and gain few marks. A good course of study must be an essential basis for this course. The subject "Planning in Relation to Transport" has distinct possibilities but could suffer the problem of covering too wide a field. Again, good prior instruction is going to prove vital.
I am not at all clear about the final option entitled "Transport Technology". There is need for some clarification of aims before I would advise anyone to attempt this course. The specimen questions seem to roam over huge areas but, at the same time, quite detailed answers are expected.
I think the new Chartered Institute of Transport Final examination has great possibilities and I shall watch with keen interest the results of the first examination in May 1973.