The more substantial type of pantechnicon based on a fairly
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heavy 5-6-ton chassis still has its adherents, especially among operators who customarily travel long distances. The old type with a platform body and container is going out of fashion and is rarely used, except for overseas consignments.
The foregoing schedule of types and vehicles is obviously on broad lines and subject to modification in particular cases. It does, however, cover the majority of vehicles habitually employed by up-to-date, progressive furniture removers. I would especially like to state here that I am a strong adherent to the motto of the N.A.F.W.R. : Removing is an expert's job."
It must not be thought that this little dissertation upon sizes and types of vehicle employed in the furniture industry is a digression. It is a most important factor and much to the point. The reason is that any request for an estimate for the removal of furniture is followed, in the majority of cases, by examination of the goods to be removed and, if not that, by a request for an inventory. Having done so, the remover decides which vehicle he is going to use for the job and how many men will be needed. '
Vehicle Cost the Vital Factor.
The determining factor in the quotation is undeniably the cost of operation of the vehicle to be employed. If the smallest vehicle in the fleet has a capacity of 000 cubic ft., whereas the goods to be removed are considerably less than 600 cubic ft. in bulk, the cost of transport is still that of the removal of 600 cubic ft. To my mind, the starting point in any schedule of charges is the cost of operation of the vehicle to be used. If I am right in that opinion, the calculation of rates should be based on the foregoing list of vehicle sizes. The cost per mile 'varies according to the vehicle to be used and the cost of transport or the charge per mile should vary accordingly.
So far as the terminal charges are concerned, there is undeniably some direct connection between the expense of collecting the furniture, packing and loading it, and the cubic capacity of the consignment. The same condition holds good of the unloading, unpacking and distribution at the new address.
The time element is the one with which we are concerned in assessing the rate, and that time interests us inasmuch as it is waiting time for the vehicle and working time for the men engaged. Even in this, however, the main cost factor is determined by the size of the vehicle, as it is the expense of keeping the vehicle waiting that matters. The minimum in any fleet is that which applies to the minimum size of vehicle available— not directly to ;the size of the load.
The Key Consideration.
In the long run, therefore, no matter from what angle the matter is considered, we always come back to a factor which turns on the size of the vehicle used, and not on the cubic capacity of a consignment. In few words, The Commercial Motor method of time and mileage charges for the vehicle, plus time for the extra men, is the appropriate basis and, in my opinion, is inevitably the proper foundation forany system of assessing rates for any job of haulage.
It is of interest to note that the N.A.F.W.R. itself, in a scheme of cliarges which it recommends for local removals, takes as a unit a "load," which is 600 cubic ft. This scheme is set out in Table I. My own recommendation, which is shown in Table II, can be taken as a basis for the calculation of rates for all classes of furniture removal over long distances and short: it is in principle the time and mileage basis which is so strongly recornniended by The Commercial Motor. S.T.R.