OPINIONS and QUERIES The Cost of Spare Parts.
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The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2883] Sir,—I notice in a recent issue of The Commercial Motor that another maker, namely, Guy Motors Ltd., has compiled a spate-parts catalogue giving the price of each part. I think that all makers should do this and thereby let their customers know what to expect to pay when buying such parts.
Only last week I had to purchase a glass window for the cab door of a well-known 30-cwt. lorry and the local agent for this make of lorry quoted 8s.; I went to three others and was asked various prices from 12s. 6d. to, the above price, and no matter what parts are required the prices for practically every one vary considerably. I should like you to make this known if you will and if you have space in your journal.---Yours faithfully, G.W.S. Barnsley.
Starting Haulage on a Small Capital.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2884] Sir—Would you be kind enough to advise me on the following subject? I have just been discharged from the Royal Air Force, in which corps I have served for six years as a driver-mechanic. I am anxious to start haulage work and was wondering, as competition is so keen nowadays, whether I could earn a living. I have about £100 at my disposal. I am handicapped by the fact that I do not know where to get work from or what rates to charge. If you could advise me on this matter I should be very grateful.—Yours faithfully, Brixton, S.W.9. DitivEE-MEcRANIC.
[I am very sorry, but I cannot reCommend you to start out in business as a haulage contractor with a capital of no more than £101). You would make more money for yourself as a driver, provided you are a good man, for, notwithstanding the competition, it is a fact that good lorry drivers are scarce.
My suggestion to you is that you take work as a driver and see if you can save a little more to add to that £100 before starting out for yourself.
This course of action will have the very important advantage that if you engage yourself to haulage contractors you will learn something of the business in which you propose to engage.—S.T.R.] The Taxation of Motor Goods Vehicles.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2885] Sir,—The present time seems opportune to consider whether the method now in force for levying taxes on goods vehicles is equitable. The taxation is graduated according to the unladen weight of the complete machine, but this does not denote the actual weight and the measure of the damage that is done to the roads by each individual vehicle. It would be better if the tax were levied on the total running weight of each machine, as this indicates exactly the amount of damage or wear to which the roads are being subjected. There is no difficulty whatever in ascertaining the total or gross weight of the vehicle, as most manufacturers state in their catalogues the weight that the machine, when loaded, should not exceed, and in fact, in many cases this information is stamped on the chassis name-plate. It would simplify the collection of the tax and ensure that each owner was bearing his true share of the upkeep of the roads. In the regulations now operative there is nothing to prevent vehicles being loaded far beyond their intended carrying capacity, and it is common knowledge that a very large number of commercial vehicles is
being used on the roads in an unsafe condition; not only is this damaging to the machines, bu,t it is a danger to the general public as well, an over-loaded vehicle being liable to get out of control. The licence attached to the vehicle would state the total load that the machine must not exceed, and it would be a simple matter for those concerned to check the weight of any machines that appeared to be over-loaded, thus tending to prevent the evasion of tax.
The tax could then be levied in the same simple manner as for private cars, and instead of £1 per horse-power, the tax could be for commercial vehicles, say, £5 per ton for solid-tyred and £4 per ton for pneumatic-tyred machines, or some such figure.
It may be interesting to know that in Ceylon, the total laden weight has to be declared on applications
for a liceuee, and vehicles are not permitted to be used on the roads if the weight exceeds that stated
on the licence.—Yours faithfully, H. C. LESTER. Guildford.
The Danger of the Level Crossing. .
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2886] Sir,—In your issue dated August 27th, you make some suggestions concerning the elimination of danger from low bridges.
Probably the method described of lowering . the roadway is, as you state, the most practicable way of dealing with the problem, but I really feel that the time has come when road interests should assert themselves with regard to the way in which road transport is endangered and delayed by rail constructions crossing the roads.
As a matter of history, common roads are, of course, much older than the railways and due to the fact that at the time of intensive rail construction roads were comparatively unimportant, the railways were allowed to divert roads and generally interfere with the free flow of the road traffic in order that they might have a straight passage.
At the present time matters are entirely reversed in regard to the importance of the two services. The average speed of traffic on the roads is now considerably higher than that of the railways and the logical .conclusion is that the railways should be diverted for the convenience and safety of the road traffic which, as already pointed out, was in prior existence.
In this district alone, at one point six roads are made to converge to pass under a railway bridge for the obvious purpose of avoiding' expense on the part
of the railway company. The line in question is comPletely unimportant and, at the present time no one would suffer any inconvenience if it were abolished, yet the construction indicated has resulted in• many road accidents, some of which have been fatal.
The brazen impudence of the railways in holding up traffic at level crossings is so notorious that it seems almost redundant to mention it. Nevertheless, the common sight of tens of thousands of pounds worth of road transport being held up for perhaps 5 or even 10 minutes on end for the purpose of shunting a slow-moving train is really a wonderful testimony to the patience and tolerance of the present-day roadusing community.
Lastly, what excuse is there for the railways assuming special privilege in regard to precedence of their traffic? Transport engineering is now advanced to the point where it is quite possible rapidly to accelerate or retard vehicles either on road or rail and curves of considerably less radius than those belonging to the steam locomotive age are quite prac ticable. If the railways were forced to use the available space on equal terms with road interests they would very quickly devise means for controlling their vehicles so that the dangers and inconvenience at present forced on road users would be abolished.
It would be very interesting if you could give your readers a competent legal survey of the conditions which brought into existence the dangerous bridges end level crossings which now form such a menace to road transport.—Yours faithfully,
LEONARD MURPHY, M.I.A.E., Maidenhead. Proprietor, Auto-Electric Co.
Tower Wagons for Rescue Work at Fires.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2887] Sir,—I read with interest the suggestion hi' " your issue of August 27th for the use of tower wagons for reseue work at fires.
The use of a tower wagon for this purpose was suggested a good many years ago by a Continental firm, but so far as I am aware, never became a success.
As an ex-fireman I do not think a tower wagon would be of sufficient utility to warrant adoption as a regular appliance. On arrival at a fire, it is often found that the house or shop is fronted by a garden, pavement or deep, forecourt, and possibly on the side of a steep slope. An escape of the sliding-carriage type, fitted with plumbing gear, as used in a large number of brigades, can he pitched across most of these, and if necessary, taken on to the pavement.
The present-day motor-driven turntable ladder is capable of more varied evolutions still, to overcome such obstacles and can also be used with a line and pulley for lowering the occupants of the buildings. The majority of the public appears to think that the paint and polish on fire appliances are for show only, but the real reason is—that to be kept properly cleaned, a machine is examined regularly and any small defect or flaw is instantly noticed, also, by handling their appliances so often, the firemen can find immediately anything that is required.
In reference to the disaster at Gillingham, this look place under conditions that could hardly occur in any regular building. It must be remembered that this tower was constructed of wooden supports and canvas 'walls, and that the whole affair was over in a few minutes. Had this been an ordinary dwelling, it would, in my opinion, have stood sufficiently long to have permitted the occupants being rescued.—
Yours faithfully, E. L. WoopLAB.D. London, E.9.
Developing from Private-hire to Heavy Haulage.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2888] Sir,—When I started a small private-hire business about eighteen months ago, you were good enough to give me some very valuable information concerning taxation, etc.
I am now hoping to extend my activities to goods transport in the early part of next year, and am again, therefore, in quest of information.
Would you be good enough to send me a copy of your Tables of Operating Costs? I am not sure of the charge you make for these, but if you will send a card, stating amount. I will remit same and you can then forward the tables.
I am not yet sure what capacity lorry I shall purchase, as the work I have had offered me varies B38 from one ton to 12 tons. This is a wide difference, the former being small and semi-local deliveries, whilst the latter work entails the fetching of raw materials from the docks. Between these extremes I am offered long-distance loads of four to six tons.
I am not in a position to buy more than one vehicle to start with and have yet, therefore, to decide whether to purchase a small new vehicle or a larger secondhand one. It will all depend on the actual regular amount of any particular class of work.
would like to mention how useful I have found The Commercial Motor on previous occasions, and I shall now look forward to finding it even more useful with this anticipated expansion of business.
Thanking you for your previous assistance and wishing you continued success.—Yours faithfully,
Southall C. W. LONG.
,
[You do not in your letter put any specific request to which I can give a definite reply, and it seems as though the occasion is one for an interview. Our special representative who deals with these matters would rather like to come to see you, because he is, as a matter of fact, in vestigating the private-hire business. Perhaps if this could he arranged, you might be able to give him some information about private-hire in your area and lie could make some suggestions for your best course in the new development which you are contemplating.-8.T.R.]
Running Transport Vehicles at a Loss.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2889] Sir,—We shall be obliged if you will send us a set of your Tables of Operating Costs. We may add that we are concerned chiefly in local work and charge for a 5-ton lorry £3 per day for local work, with proportionate overtime for excessive hours. We regard a day as 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but are not arbitrary in that connection. Lorries required usually at 7.30 a.m. and finishing at 6, p.m. are often regarded as doing a day's work unless they have done exceptional running. We charge the overtime to protect ourselves against long hours, for which the drivers must be paid extra. Contracts are usually worked out at £15 10s. per week of 240 miles and 1s. per mile over. We shall be glad to have your opinion as to these charges.
We may add that we have recently had to refuse work from one of our clients who wished us to take five tons in a hurry to Portsmouth at £1 per ton. We have done many runs to Portsmouth at never less than £6 15s., which we consider quite low enough. No time was available to arrange a return load, even if one were obtainable. We know the job was done without a return load, and not once, but several times, at this i5 rate, and shall be glad if you can tell us how this wner-driver can manage to do it.—Yours faithfully, London, S.E.5. PUZZLED.
E have sent you a copy of the latest Tables of Operating Costs, from which you will be able to calculate the charges which I recommend. The usual basis upon which I suggest basing charges per day is to take the weekly standing charge, add to it the allowances for establishment costs and profit, and divide the total by the number of working hours per week. When this bee been found you will have to add a mileage rate to cover the running costs.
In all probability, your competitor who is doing the run to Portsmouth for £5 is not allowing himself a wage as a driver. This means that he is virtually working for nothing and he is only getting a profit on his original capital outlay. Therefore, he might just as well invest the money in SOME form of security and live on the dividend.
This is a particularly common form of rate-cutting practised by owners of single vehicles. In the long run the consequences are bound to he costly to the user who operates on these lines, but, in the meantime, it is apt to be exasperating for those who are running their vehicles on a more sound financial basisIf you will be so good as to send me, in confidence, his name and address, I will post to him a copy of the Tables without, of course, including any letter or making any mention of the source from which we obtained his address. In the past I have done this in many cases and have been able to assist some users to see the fault of their ways.—,S.T.R.1