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GROCERY TRANSPORT THE MOTOR'S VALUE,

1st January 1924, Page 12
1st January 1924
Page 12
Page 13
Page 12, 1st January 1924 — GROCERY TRANSPORT THE MOTOR'S VALUE,
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

A Mixed Fleet of Motor Vehicles that Delivers 3,000 Parcels a Week for a Liverpool User.

TF IT were possible to compile a _Lclassified list showing the extent to which commercial motor vehicles are employed in the various distributive trades of this country, it would probably be found that the grocery and provision trade, with its great and increasing ramifications linking up a score or tivo of the producing industries with the homes of over 47 million population, tops the list. The port of Liverpool, with its great shipping interests and transport system, is, as might be expected, an important distributive centre tor grocery traffic, and although the systems of road deliveries conducted by certain local firms have been reviewed from time to time in the columns of The Commercial Mom', no apology is needed for returning to the subject.

Previous articles have dealt with (1) the transport activities of one of the leading firms of wholesalers, (2) the fleet of 35 to 40 vehicles operated by a multiple-shop-owning firm controlling nearly 150 shops, and (3) a modern city store. This, the fourth of what might be described as a series, is concerned with the activities of an old-established company, MacSymon, Ltd., who up to a few years ago depended upon horse transport and hired motor vehicles, and who recently have opened a fine new store in 'Church Street—the principal shopping thoroughfare of the etty.

The writer has recently had the opportunity of interviewing prominent officials of several big firms of motor users, and an outstanding impression is the unanimity with which the members of these firms associate themselves with the opinion that. motor delivery vans have increased their business scope, enabled them to give a better service to customers and generally to increase the prestige of the establishment.

Although it was not until 1919 that Messrs. MacSynion acquired their first motor vehicle, they had been hirers of such vehicles-for several years, and daily had working their rounds a group of 24 horse vans. To-day they have a fleet, of 12 motors, their stables are almcst empty, arid they are able to serve an area of more than double the size of that served a few years ago, and, in addition, effect more deliveries with a smaller number of transporting units.

The fleet is a very mixed one—purposely so—consistingof two 2-ton Tbornverofts, one 2-ton Wolverine, one 1-ton.brossley, two Dodge 15-cwt. vans, three 1-ton 'Fords, one 7-cwt. Ford, a 3-ton Albion and a 2-ton Napier. The vehicles operate in an area of roughly 20 to 25 miles around Liverpcol, worktog definite and E5et routes according to plan, supplementary journeys being carried out when the pressure of traffic demands them. The average normal daily mileage per vehicle is between 40 and 45, but occasionally, for odd units, the figure might be 60, and even more when special long-distance journeys have to be undertaken. such Places as Barmouth, Blackpool, Rhyl, Llandudno, Windermere, etc., then being visited.

At holiday times Messrs. MacSymon deliver supplies to hotel-keepers and others running establishments for the special benefit of holiday-makers ; consequently, "in season" the mileage figures of the vehicles are much greater.

For the purpose of deliveries ou the Merseyside, the motor vehicles work eight rounds on the Liverpool side and six on the Cheshire side. There are daily motor services to 34 districts in the immediate vicinity of Liverpool; on Mondays and Thursdays to the Hale district—about 9 miles out ; Wednesdays, and Saturdays to the Draiskirk district --about 12 miles out ; Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to 37 places in ari extended district outside the area of tho trict—about-nine miles out ; Wednesdays, and Friday to Wavertree, Old Swan, Waterloo and Blundellsands—about 10 miles out ; Tuesday and Friday to the Deeside district ; Tuesday and Saturday to Runcorn and district ; Wednesday and Friday to the Eastham, Great Sutton district ; Tuesday to Weston Point, Burton, Frodsham and Helsby ; Wednesday to Knowsley; Thursday to Newton ; Friday to 'Toby and Erclesion Park. These, are the regular service funs.

As a rule, the lighter units of the fleet concentrate Upon the purely local services and the larger vans on the journeys farther afield. On journeys extending for 55 miles or so, the motors generally make as many as 80 deliveries within the working day. .The total average number of despatches (by motor vehicles, of course) is 500 per day, many of these being consignments composed pf four or five parcels purchased in more than one department. At the time of our interview with the member of the firm in question arrangements were being made for the Christmas rush of traffic, and it was confidently expected that during the week preceding the festival period the daily motor deliveries would be increa.sed to double their normal total—that is, to 1,000 a day. On such oc.casions, although the staff motors start earlier, work later and carry larger loads, they are not able to cope with the traffic, and, consequently, Messrs. Macflymon resort to the alternative of hiring supplementary vehicles.

The packing and despatch departments of this Liverpool store are concentrated in a building in Paradise Street, where every outgoing consignment is carefully made up and protected against inisha.ndling. The van driver on accepting a load checks it off with his waybill and stows his numerous parcels in the van in the order in which delivery will be made. None of the vans is fitted with racks or shelves, RA it is felt that, owing to the lackof uniformity in the dimensions of parcels, such fittings would be a hindrance rather than a help, especially as diligent regard must be paid to the economic utilization of available space. Some of the vans are equipped with electric light, and this h-as

been found to be of great service in locating parcels at night time. The only return loads carried are " empties."

One of the little niceties of the transport department is that each driver and his assistant are provided with spickand-span uniforms, white with blue collar and sleeve bands and a peaked cap to match. The publicity value of uniforms is very great..

Minor repairs and adjustments are undertaken by the firm's own staff, overhaul jobs being executed by outside concerns. All the vans are distinctively embellished, and the fleet as a whole, although not. numerically the strongest in the retail grocery trade of Liverpool, is certainly one of the smartest.

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Locations: Liverpool

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