OPINIONS and QUERIES
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WHAT IS DELAYING THE MERGER?
[4528] Why the delay in uniting the Commercial Motor Users Association, the Road Haulage Association and the Motor Hirers and Coach Services' Association to combat the strangling restrictions imposed by railway-inspired legislation and taxation? This action should have been taken years ago, but it is never too late to mend, and the new association should be formed without delay, before the only flourishing industry in this country is ruined.
Britain is noted as a free country, yet it tolerates Acts of Parliament, such as the Road Traffic Act, 1930, the London Passenger Transport Act, 1933, and the Road and Rail Traffic Ace, 1933, which prevent men from earning their living.
The London Passenger Transport Act forced all independent operators of stage services within a radius of about 25 miles of London to hand over their businesses to the Board. I do not believe that this scheme was devised in the public interest, otherwise the Board would not be curtailing services and even eliminating them. Furthermore, the vehicles used on some of the country routes are not fitting advertisements for good service. It may be argued that the operators were well recompensed for the acquisition of their businesses, but were they? The largest concern taken over by the Board was reimbursed on the basis of 17 years' profits, whereas the other operators received only five years' consideration.
What would the wealthy men in Parliament say if we went to them and said: "We are going to take over your banking accounts and leave you five years' bank interest on the existing amount "? With the most vivid stretch of imagination, I could not believe it to be fair to award an operator a sum equal to five years' profits for a business which, to all intents and purposes, could continue for years, showing an average profit of £1,000 per annum.
Present indications show that theRoad and Rail Traffic Act will continue to be administered similarly to the Road Traffic Act. Restrictions will be such thp.4t, in many cases, it will not be possible to stay in the industry. An operator whose business necessitates increased tonnage will find it difficult to secure the necessary licences and, in any case, the procedure is so protracted that, in all probability, before he obtained the licence, he would have lost the contract, or the work would have been completed.
These Acts were formulated by men who have little or no knowledge of the transport industry and its requirements, whilst the Ministers of Transport have not, during the past five years, been men experienced in the administration of transport. Mr. Hore-Belisha set up an advisory committee, but he has ignored its recommendations, despite the fact that the members have had considerably greater experience of transport than he.
I have not yet met any transport operator who resents reasonable supervision of mechanical efficiency in vehicles. Operators generally appear to consider that such control affords them expert advice which, in the long run, will save them money, but they are gravely concerned with the ridiculous restrictions on transport which prevent them from carrying out their work efficiently.
Operators themselves are, however, not without blame for the present state of affairs, because, in the past, they have ignored the true adage, "United we stand ; divided we fall." There is transport work for all, but we must stand together to make the industry the leading and flourishing one which it ought to be and which, I believe, it will in the end be. CANDID. Ilford.
TORQUE CONVERTERS FOR HEAVY VEHICLES.
[4529] In the issue of your journal dated April 5 you express surprise that fluid transmission has not been applied to heavy goods vehicles, seeing that a large fire brigade has adopted this transmission for large appliances.
A fluid flywheel and epicyclic gearbox might be used with advantage, but not so the torque converter in its present form.
The trouble is not the propelling of the vehicle but the retarding of it.
No sane driver would descend our Devon hills with a heavily laden lorry with only top gear engaged, or with the lever in the neutral position. Yet if equipped with a converter he would have the alternatives of (1) top gear engaged and little resistance from engine ; (2) in the converter position, vehicle free wheeling and no help at all from the power unit.
All retardation would then depend on the brakes, and this would be both unsafe and costly.
Furthermore, as the majority of vehicles has vacuumassisted brakes, the stalling of a petrol engine would deprive the driver of approximately 75 per cent. of his braking power, and the idling speed of an oil engine would be insufficient to maintain an adequate vacuum
reserve should repeated applications of the foot brake be necessary. I would certainly not care to descend Countisbury Hill or similar gradients with 10 tons under
these conditions. NOT CONVERTED. Devon.
[Our correspondent is quite correct in his statement that when descending a hill on a vehicle equipped with a torque converter there is the alternative of travelling, either in top gear or neutral (or its equivalent). His objection as to the loss of brake assistance due to the engine stalling is, however, met by descending hills in top gear. Furthermore, modern brakes are well able to deal with such conditions as he mentions, as witness the fact that many double-deck buses weigh 10 tons fully loaded, and, equipped with torque converters, are giving good service on hilly routes.—En.] WAGES IN THE WESTERN AREA.
[4530] What are the correct wages for a driver of a 30-cwt. vehicle engaged on short-distance work under a B licence in this area, and when do they become operative? My employer has ten vehicles of various sizes ranging from 30 cwt. to 4 tons. Sometimes we drive the 30-cwt. machines until the dinner hour and then take over a 4-tonner for the rest of the day. How do we stand under this arrangement as regards wages? MoA of us are paid 22 5s. for a 52-hour week, without pay for overtime. D.F.F. Somerset.
[The driver of a 30,cwt. vehicle operating under a B licence tn most parts of the Western Area should be paid Grade 3 wages, equalling 50s. per week: This rate applies if the Vehicle carries a load ranging from 30 cwt. to 2 tons. These wages were introduced under the report of the National Joint Conciliation Board, which became operative on January 1 last. The report provides for a 48-hour guaranteed week, with payment for overtime at the rate of time-and-an-eighth for the first eight hours after 48, and time-and-a-quarter thereafter. In connection with the change of vehicles, we recommend you to communicate with Mr. A. E. Dickenson, 36, Prince Street, Bristol, the secretary on the employees' side of the Western Area Joint Conciliation Board, as this may be a matter for special agreement.—En.]
MR. ROWAND HARKER'S CONTENTIOUS DISCLAIMER.
[4531] I am at a loss to know what Mr. Rowand Harker, K.C., can mean by the special statement, as chairman of the Appeal Tribunal, recorded on April 5.
Mr. Harker says in this statement on the Manchester appeal, L.M.S. versus Allan Smith : The appellant was not asked to agree to restrict his activities under an A licence, neither wa,s an undertaking given.
Then why was he sworn? Also, why was the second question, on giving preference to the special purpose for which the licence was wanted, ever put?
In reversing the decision of the North-Western Licensing Authority, Mr. Harker said : "Mr. Allan Smith has stated to-day on oath that it is his intention to give this daily (cotton) service preference, and that he will resist the temptation to take on work which would in any way interfere with the proper operation and carrying out of this daily service."
If these words do not mean not only a restriction but also an undertaking, words have no meaning.
Manchester. J.H.W.
ROAD-TEST REPORTS REQUIRED.
[4532] Could you let me have reprints of certain roadtest reports, particularly the Bedford 2-ton and 3-ton models, the Commer chassis, and the Morris-Commercial 3-former. W. CLARKSON. Grange-over-Sands.
[We regret that we cannot supply our own reprints of these road tests, but most of them are obtainable from the makers of the respective vehicles, as these practically always order them. We have no doubt that they would be pleased to send copies to you. If you file this journal, we would refer you toci the issues containing these articles, as follow :—Bedford 2-forirter, April 7, 1931; 3tonner, August 3, 1934; 7-8-tormer (with Carrimore semitrailer), October 12, 1934. Commer 8-cwt., July 13, 1934; 3-ton oiler, December 29, 1933; 2i-ton petrol May 19, 1933; Morris-Commercial, 3-tonner, January 12, 1034; 6-tonner (with T.T.A. semi-trailer), January 4, 1935. We could supply copies of those issues published last year, but not for dates before then.—En.)