Bird's Eye View
Page 56
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BY THE HAWK
A Rate Per Ton/mile, Please
Ar the East Midlands traffic court last week an applicant for a variation to his B licence explained to the LA that he sought to achieve more efficient running with bulk loading with vehicles carrying goods for the export market. To underline the importance of the export business his advocate asked him where these goods were going. "To places like Kuwait and Singapore, sir," he replied. Question 1: What does one bring back in a tipper from Kuwait and Singapore? Question 2: How much will it cost per ton?
Short Cut?
ADVERTISEMENTS often make clear the qualifications required for a particular job, possibly also the rates of pay, but usually prospective employees are left guessing about the kind of place that is concerned. A recent notice by Bridges Transport Ltd., Preston, seeking drivers for multiple delivery work gave all the customary details. Two lines at the end provided all the background necessary for most people. They said simply: "If your driving experience is short or your hair is long please do not apply."
You're Joking, of Course
THROUGH the post comes a Press release headed: "Move to 'Make Things Easier'; RAC Leaflets Printed in Urdu ". Sample follows: Don't panic. I have it on good authority that English will remain the official RAC language. The change is for the benefit of Pakistanis in Britain.
Track Costs Controversy
HOW many delegates—and journalists—receiving copies of the IRU's "blockbuster" report, designed to probe the validity of the AASHO road wear tests, will have time to read the 122-page (plus appendices) document? Maybe some of Mrs. Castle's back-room economists will have to read it as a duty. I surmise its conclusions may torpedo a lot of preconceived notions in the controversial sphere of track costs.
Milk Run?
THERE must be something about milk tanker drivers that 1 polishes their skills—probably those terribly narrow alleyways up which so many dairy and bottling plants seem to live. Express Dairy have had at least one national champion over here, and now I see that America's 1966 National Driver of the Year is of the same ilk, being employed by Land O'Lakes Creameries, Minneapolis. He is Donald J. Beaudette, who drives a five-axle artic on intercity trunking and, at 36 years of age, has 19 years of accidentfree driving to show. He is "national five-axle champion" as well, having clinched this title in the National Truck Roadeo (ouch!), and has competed in nine state and national competitions.
Buxton Banquet
THE meeting of the Tipping Operators' Co-operative Units referred to in Licensing Casebook (COMMERCIAL MOTOR, June 17) is to be held at the Palace Hotel, Buxton, commencing on Friday, November 4. Highlight of the three-day conference is a ball and banquet, scheduled for the Saturday night, and other events of interest to the ladies are planned. Organized by the North Western (eastern) area office of the RHA, the conference will be supported by tipping groups from many areas, and the chairman of the national tipping operators' functional group will preside. This first conference of its kind could be important—hardpressed tipper operators should, perhaps, start to save up for it!
That Elusive Bus
OUR friends London Transport are up to it again. This time they are attempting to keep a little secret to themselves and we, just as energetically, are trying to uncover that secret. I am, of course, referring to the experimental rear-engined, front-entrance Routemaster bus which LTB have had built to their design. I can assure readers that the bus exists, and even add that, at the moment at least, it is classed FRM I, and carries the registration letters FGY4D. Beyond that I cannot go. One would have thought that LTB would be falling over themselves to show off their new baby, but not so. In fact they are falling over themselves to keep it hidden away from the public eye. I am assured that it is a bus, and not a moon rocket which must be kept hidden from the Russians! Just what does one make of London Transport? Are they afraid of competition, or something?