PLANNING FOR Pima
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Staff-car Problems
A, SUBSTANTIAL proportion of six million private cars
on the road in this country are primarily in use for business purposes. Where a company already operates an ancillary fleet of commercial vehicles it is understandable that the management should consider it a relatively small qi.dditional responsibility for their existing transport manager to be responsible for ensuring that the personnel concerned are at all times provided with roadworthy vehicles appropriate to the job they have to perform.
Unfortunately, the superficial similarity between the problems involved in controlling staff cars, as distinct from commercial vehicles, can belie fundamental differences. Before a policy as to the successful provision and maintenance of staff cars can be evolved, it is necessary to give due consideration to such differences and make adequate provision beforehand if subsequent dissatisfaction is to be avoided. Equally, the basic principles of any staff-car policy should be agreed before attempting an analysis of the likely cost of their provision and subsequent operation.
Where, in fact, an ancillary fleet of sufficient size to justify the employment of a full-time transport manager is already in existence it will be worth while considering that official's status in the light of his present and future responsibilities. Where such a move was contemplated it would be reasonable to assume that the management were satisfied with the efficiency of the commercial fleet. Whilst it might seem virtually selfevident when so stated specifically, it would not be impossible for that present efficiency to be reduced, even to the point of inefficiency, by the addition of further responsibilities in connection with the provision, and possible maintenance, of staff cars.
This unfortunate development could arise for two reasons. The amount of additional work involved might genuinely have been underestimated, whether as to the provision of additional maintenance staff or equipment, or both, so that there was an increasing backlog of repair work always remaining to be done, resulting in irritating "battles" as to an equitable, though never wholly acceptable, order of priorities as between staff cars and commercial vehicles.
QUESTION OF STATUS
The second reason, and closely coupled with the first, is the itatus of the transport manager. Quite apart from responsibilities of staff cars, the status allowed to transport managers by many top managements is unfortunately inadequate, bearing n mind the job of work they have to do. Too often they are lot included in vital top-level discussions which could have ong-term effects on efficient transport operation. If such were :he case as regards the existing commercial fleet, it would be an mfortunate level on which to commence control of a fleet
af staff cars.
Previously, in controlling the commercial fleet an efficient ransport manager would be solely responsible for determining he extent and order in which maintenance work was underaken. Moreover, if excessive repair work had obviously been lirectly incurred by incompetent drivers, he would be in a aosition to take remedial action. But because of transport managers' inferior status relative to several of the personnel to whom staff cars are commonly allocated, such a set of conditions would no longer apply. Irrespective of what important scheduled maintenance work was due to be carried out on one or more vehicles of the commercial fleet, with the advent of a staff car fleet many occasions could, and probably would, arise when the transport manager was compelled by oblique pressure against his better judgment to carry out work first on staff cars. This, in turn, could reflect for the worse on a previously conscientious commercial vehicle driver when he found that he was expected to carry on the day's work without the defects he had previously reported having been attended to. In brief, the transport manager could find his newly found "promotion" one of added responsibility and reduced authority.
SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE Apart from many staff-car drivers being his senior in status, several—if not all—would be employed by the company for their specialized knowledge in one field or another, relative to which car driving would be a very secondary requirement. In contrast with the position arising when commercial drivers prove themselves incompetent, there is relatively little the transport manager himself can do when, for example, a senior representative's undoubted selling ability is in no way matched by his driving record. And because production and sales invariably, and understandably, take preference to transport in the minds of industrial management, any appeal by the. transport manager to a higher level for a decision in such a case would invariably result in little or no satisfaction for the transport manager.
The solution to this problem is to realize that there are, in fact, substantial differences affecting the control and maintenance of staff cars, as compared with commercial vehicles, and to lay down a policy accordingly.
Maintenance is probably the key to the satisfactory provision of staff cars. An initial and major decision must first be taken as to whether maintenance, partly or wholly, is to be carried out in the company's own repair shop or whether it is to be contracted out. If it is to be carried out in the company's workshop, it would be worth considering whether the size of the staff-car fleet would not justify segregation of repair work as between staff cars and commercial vehicles so as to be a practical and worth-while possibility, and forestalling the disruptive situation arising when the transport manager is expected to appease all parties by making almost impossible decisions as to priority of work.
Another difference between staff cars and commercial vehicles is their location. In many instances the whole of an ancillary commercial fleet will be based at one depot, and even where there are additional depots it will be usual for several vehicles to be based there also. Yet the reverse is the case with many fleets of staff cars, particularly when they are allocated to sales representatives each located individually near the centre of his own sales territory. Especially where the company concerned is in a sufficiently large way of business to offer nation-wide distribution of its products it would be virtually impossible to operate a maintenance system for staff cars on the basis of that which applies for the commercial vehicles, namely, for the whole of the work to be done at a central depot. Obviously, if such an attempt were made, the time and mileage involved in bringing vehicles back to depots at regular intervals would be totally uneconomic It is because of this situation which applies in many cases when a fleet of staff cars is operated that there can be alternative methods of overall provision of vehicles and their subsequent maintenance, all of which can prove successful if efficiently applied. Ownership of the cars could remain with the companies concerned, with maintenance contracted out to the local manufacturer's agent in each particular representative's' area. This procedure is, of course, facilitated by the increasingly common practice of manufacturers to operate, through their agents, a comprehensive servicing scheme consisting of progressively more detailed series of tasks.
Where ownership of the vehicles does remain with the company, however, some form of control must still be exercised, even if the whole of the maintenance is contracted out. The procedure adopted by one well-known manufacturing and distributing company operating on a nation-wide basis can be quoted as a typical example of a staff-car policy operated on this principle.
REPLACEMENT It is recognized at the outset that whatever point is chosen as being considered a convenient time to replace vehicles, such a decision must be somewhat arbitrary, however carefully the factors may have been considered. Few companies of national standing would in any case consider running cars provided for executives until they were barely roadworthy. But long before that condition is reached even the most well-kept fleet of staff cars will not only begin to incur increasing repair costs but, by the same token, the period when they are not available for service will also increase. In many cases this lack of availability might be considered the more important reason for early replacement of vehicles.
Coupled with this reason for more frequent replacement is the fact that there will be a more ready market for used cars with relatively low mileages. It must be emphasized that companies not previously involved in controlling a large fleet of stall cars should not underestimate what understandably could be considered a secondary problem; namely, the disposing of used vehicles. To do this directly and individually would soon be found to be much too time-wasting for whoever was delegated with that responsibility, even assuming that he had the necessary experience, which is unlikely.
A more common procedure is either to arrange in advance with the supplier of the new cars to trade in the used vehicle at an agreed time and price. The other alternative is to hand over to a separate car sales agency, or auction, the whole of the responsibility for disposing of the staff cars to a planned programme. This second procedure is, in fact, the one adopted . by the company just instanced, which it is considered provides advantages compared with the return of vehicles to the origins agent.
Although not immediately apparent as a possible source c difficulty, an advantage in handing over completely respons bility for ultimately disposing of staff cars to an agency ratht than dealing with the actual buyer directly, is that th company's name is in no way involved in such transaction Any written or implied guarantee as to the condition of particular vehicle will be between the agency and the buyer.
REPRESENTATIVES
Continuing examination of the procedure adopted by th large concerts with representatives based throughout th country, each representative is responsible for delivering his ca to the company's appointed agent in his area, at previousl determined periods, for all servicing and maintenance, whits the agent is paid monthly direct by the company. To cs down unnecessary paper work and checking of accounts, th representatives are themselves responsible for payment for a petrol and oil, to compensate for which they receive a fixe allowance per mile based on an agreed rate of consumptio with adjustments when fuel prices change. In addition t saving clerical work, this procedure will obviously tend to cur extravagant driving habits without having to resort to dire( disciplinary action, which in any case would be largely imprac ticable bearing in mind the status of the personnel to whic many, staff cars are allocated.
Rather surprisingly a substantial proportion of the staff car opetated by this company arc never seen at headquarter: They are collected new from the local agent by the representa Live concerned and returned when the time comes fc replacement. Although payment for the vehicles is made fror the central headquarters with. of course, the advantage of a appropriate fleet discount, this procedure naturally engender more interest by the agent in the car that he will subsequent] maintain than would otherwise be the case. In order t maintain adequate control, the company insist on a car repot being returned fortnightly to headquarters by the representa tives, and a comprehensive inspection report by the local agen as to the car's condition at specified mileage intervals.
Also, in recognition of the practical aspects of car main tenance, staff allocated cars by the company can authoriz immediate repair work over and above the standard schedul maintenance, where this is considered necessary and does tic exceed a specified amount. This amount, incidentally, i adjusted from time to time to meet changes in prices of spare and garage charges. To insist on a complete ban on any extr, work without confirmation from headquarters would irtevitabl, involve numerous long-distance telephone calls during th course of the year. Owing to increasing telephone charges they might well constitute a substantial proportion of the cos of the contemplated repair.
Consideration of staff-car policies will be considered in thi series next week. S.B.
NEW COMPANIES
Severnside Transport Ltd. Cap. £3,000. Dim.: R. W. Purnell. 44 Great Brockeridge, Westbury on Tryrn, Bristol; D. J. Purnell, 3 Dunkerry Road, Bedminster. Bristol. 3. Sec.: D. R., Inglis. Reg. office: 14 Charlotte Street, Bristol, I Crossings Hire Company LtdCap. £100. Subs.: R. C. Keen and G. A. Corderoy. 116 Chancery Jane. London, W.C.2. Dim.: M. T. Green and Longden.
Hermitage Continental Cars (Salisbury) Ltd.
Cap. £1,000. Dim.: K. F. Danford and P. E. Mulford. 15 Anderson Road, Bishopdown Estate, Salisbury. Wilts; R. G. Hoare. " Silvertrees •'. Hermitage, Berks: G. W. Hoare. " Wyldwood Hermitage. Berks. Sec.: R. G. Hoare. Reg. office: 27 Arcade Chambers, Market Place, Newbury, Berks.
John Miller (Smillineldi Ltd. Cap. £1,000. Subs.: S. H. Lucas and F. A. Dean, 6 Surrey Street. London, W.C.2 Sec,: S. H. Lucas. Rea. office: 6 Surrey Street, London. W.C.2.
W. J. Mallard and Co. Ltd. Cap. ELMO. Dirs.: W. J. Mallard, 19 Hesketh Drive, fieswall, Wirrall; J. G. Brown. Inglenewk. Rose Lane. Mossley Hill, Liverpool: M. Payne. See.: H. Payne. Reg. office: 1122 The Temple, Dale Street. Liverpool. F. J. Whynian Ltd. Can. £100. Dirs.: W. M. Whyman and F. Jr. Whyman, 49 Donbridge House. ondon, S.W.15, Sec.: W M. Whyman. R. office: 400 Harrow Road. London, W.9.
C. N. Evans and Co. (Haulage) Ltd. Cap. £1,000. Dirs.: M. P. Evans. Rose House, Marshfield, near Cardin: G. H. DIRT'S. 3 The Hollies, Marshfield, near Cardiff; M. 0. Evans, 2 The
Hollies. Marshfield. near Cardiff. Sec.: M. 0. Evans. Reg. office: Rose House, Marshfield, near Cardiff.
Stolle Tours (Oldham) Ltd. Cap. £10,000. Dirs.: H. Stott and E. Stott, 326 Manchester Road. Hollinwood, Lana.: A. Stott, 136 Lees Road, Oldham. Lana; E. Stott, 138 Lees Road. Oldham.
Sec.: E. Stott. Rea. office; 1421, Lees Road, Oldham. Lanes MargO's Coaches (ltexleyheath) Ltd. Cap. £2,000. Subs.: E. M. A. Reed. 9 Vernon Drive. Stanmore. ivlidds, S. E. Davies. 7 Manor Drive, London.
N.20. Dirs.: B. Margo and G. Margo. See.: J. W. Masters. Reg. office: 3/4 Clements Inn, London. W.C.2, Frederick Harris Transport Ltd. Cap. £100. Dirs.: F. Harris and I. M. A. Harris. 45 Lanett= Road. Teddington, Middx. Sec.: F. Harris. Reg. office: 45 Langham Road, Teddington, Middx. Pym Brothers (Exeter/ Ltd. Cap, £100. Dirs. F. C. Pym and F. 1. Bennellick, 26 Oxford Road Exeter. Sec.. F. C. Pym, Reg. office: 26 (Won Road. Exeter.
W. H. Hall Ltd. Cap. £10,000. Dirs.: W. H Hull and A. Hull, The Bungalow. Gorse Lane Tarlton. Freston. Sec.: A. Hull. Reg. office Canal Works. Plus Hrow, Tarleton, Nr. Preston
T. Gregory and Sons (Cwincero) Ltd. Car £4,000. Dirs.: T. Gregory, D. C. Greaory, I. Gregory and P. M. Gregory. I Bernard Street Cwmcarn. Mon. Sec.: P. M. Gregory. Reg office: I Bernard Street, Cwmcarn. Mon.
Riley Brothers (Hauliers) Ltd. Can. £100. Subs.
G. M. Keates, 27 Moss Close. Pinner, Middx. G. A. W. Lock. 34 Chiltern Road. Wendover Bucks. Dirs.: T. J. Riley and M. J. Riley. Sec. G. A. W. Lock.
Inter County Transport Lid. Cap. £100. Subs. G. R.. Perks, 92 Richmond Road, Wolverhampton M. H. Foy, 49 Holly Lane, Walsall Wood. bir Walsall. keg. office: 64 Bath Road. Wolverhamp ton.
Leslie Magas and Son Ltd. Cap. £2.000. Subs. L. Maggs and A. Maggs. 17a Johns Terrace Tonmawr, Glam. Dir.: L. Magas. Sec.: A. Magas Reg, office: I7a John Street, Tonmawr. Port Talbot Glam.
lilertsport Ltd. Can. £100. Subs.: J. Herber and T. A. Herbert, 156 Strand. London. W.C.2 See.: T. A. Herbert.