Swedish Hauliers ght Rising Costs
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By 1. J. COTTON, .. OAD transport in Sweden is
not tied by petty legisla tion," said Mr. Harry Anderson, when I interviewed him in Gothenburg, "therefore, everybody works willingly and the customer is invariably satisfied." He was much amused when I asked whether there was a limit to the radius of operation and whether he was restricted in the type of goods that his vehicles could carry.
.Mr. Anderson started the haulage concern, Harry Anderson Akerie., A.B., at 'Gothenburg in 1923, using two Brockway lorries. During the past 30 years the growth of Gothenburg as an industrial city has been rapid and the increased demands for road transport have caused the Anderson fleet to be expanded to 46 vehicles.
Although iron ore is mined in Sweden, there are few smelting works to convert it into steel. Consequently, it is sent to Britain, Belgium and Germany and afterwards imported back into Sweden as rolled bar and girders of miscellaneous sections for building and industrial use. Carrying these steel bars is the principal activity of the Anderson fleet, and as their length ranges from 30 ft. to 40 ft., the work is not easy.
Generally, the vehicles collect material from the docks and deliver it to surrounding industrial areas within a radius of about six to eight miles, with occasional journeys of 150 miles down to Halsingborg. The fleet comprises 32 Volvo 4-6-tonners and 14 Chevrolet, Studebaker and Fargo lorries of 2-4i-ton capacity.
The Volvos stand up to the difficult job of carrying a 5-6-ton load of 40-ft.-long bars of steel, which overhang the front and rear of the body. The whip of the load, as the vehicle moves over the cobbles, makes heavy demands on the suspension, and the springing of the American c6 models is too resilient to withstand such treatment. Most of the material I saw being carried by these vehicles was i-in. diameter round bar, a pliable load which would wreck the front suspension of any lightly sprung vehicle.
Some of the later Volvo chassis added to the fleet have tipping gear for delivering loose cargo in bulk. The American 2-4-tonners carry miscellaneous loads between the docks and factories, and are occasionally used on the longer runs to Malmo and Halsingborg. Altogether, the fleet covers 690,000 miles a year, and a vehicle never lacks a full day's work.
Mr. Anderson has an office on the fringe of the dock area, from which all vehicles and drivers are controlled, and all paper work is handled by a clerical staff of five, and Mr. Anderson's daughter, who is an able second in command. The vehicles are garaged within a mile of the office and dock centre, so that there is practically no dead mileage. To avoid any waste of time, a telephone kiosk has been installed by the company within the dock area, so that drivers can contact headquarters for further instructions.
The vehicles leave the garage between 7 a.m. and 7.30 a.m. to collect the first load. Drivers work a 5i-day, 48-hour week and are permitted to drive up to 13 hours a
day on alternate days, and take two half-hour breaks in a normal eight. hour shift. They are required to carry a log sheet showing the hours of driving and break time.
There is a speed limit for commercial vehicles of 25 m.p.h. in the towns and 30 m.p.h. in other areas. I did not notice that either limit was religiously observed in any part of the country. Mr. Anderson bought a second-hand trailer, but as the area of operation is in towns, where a limit of 10 m.p.h. applies to trailer units, it was not a great success.
Petrol costs approximately 3s. 6d. per gallon in Sweden, less a discount
for fleet users. The larger Volvo vehicles of the fleet are economical in operation, although engaged on short-distance haulage. According to the 1950-1951 records, the Volvo fuel-consumption rate was 92 m.p.g.., but for the American lorries the consumption rate was approximately 6.5 m.p.g.
Road tax ranges from £22 per annum for the 2-tonners to £57 for the 6-tonners, the total annual tax for the fleet amounting to £1,850.. Although the petrol tax was recently reduced by 4d. per gallon, the road tax has been raised by approximately 40 per cent.
As in this country, the cost of living has risen considerably since the war, and the Swedish Government decreed a wage increase of 15-25 per cent. early in the year. Prices of all commodities have soared accordingly, and the average wage paid to a skilled fitter is in the region of £12 per .week, and only slightly less for a driver.
Haulage Rates Because of high costs, transport rates are somewhat higher than in this country, but the rising competition in road transport has had the effect of preventing a further advance in rates As an example of current practice, Mr. Anderson quoted the rates for a hilly laden 5-tonner of Is. 8d. per mile on longdistance operation and 3s. 4d. per mile for local haulage, which, in Gothenburg, is six to eight miles.
Maintenance of the lorries is in the hands of a foreman, three fitters and a cleaner According to the plan, l vehicles should be in the workshops each day. Fuel levels are checked On return to the garage each day, and every 750 miles the chassis is greased and the body washed. The suspension is checked and the spring leaves are thoroughly greased at the same time, because the cobbled streets in the towns are hard on springs. Decarbonizing and valve grinding are spaced at intervals of 2,000-3,000 miles.
Rate of Wear The average age of the vehicles is four years, and some of the older models are suffering from the effects of poor-quality material, which was forced on the manufacturers towards the end of the war.
Reboring on these vehicles is necessary at a low mileage although, considering the frequent stopping and starting involved in short hauls, the rate of wear could hardly be termed exceptional. Some of the earlier Volvo engines require a rebore at 50,000 miles, but later models, which, incidentally, are fitted with British-made cylinder liners, last up to 70,000 mites before requiring attention. The longestlived engine in the fleet is the Chevrolet, which, on an average, operates 150,000 miles before requiring a rebore. These lorries are on relatively light duty, making most of the long runs.
Normal servicing is done to a schedule, and running adjustments are made by the maintenance staff before the vehicle leaves the garage for the day's work. Because the ground around Gothenburg is relatively level, few brake adjustments are required. The major task, if it can be so termed, is clutch adjustment, with the occasional replacement of the flexible centre plate.
Tyres are in extremely short supply. Their availability is, indeed, one of the controlling factors in Swedish vehicle output. Therefore, in the Anderson organization, the covers are inspected frequently, and stones and metal removed before causing serious ,damage. According to the records, the 9.00 by 20-in. tyres on the 6-tonners have a potential life of 36,000 miles. Roads in the Gothenburg dock area are in poor condition, and careless driving or incorrect inflation might quickly cause premature trouble.
Equipment for vulcanizing inner tubes and filling the covers is available in the repair shop, and machines for major repairs include a Swedishmade lathe, valve and tool grinder, bench drill, and a boring machine. Complete overhauls are tackled with these machines, and additional items of equipment include a hydraulic garage jack and a portable lowpressure acetylene welding and
cutting plant. This, I found, is of great 'importance in-the maintenance of the steel-carrying bodies.
Stores Units
Spare engines are kept in stock for the Volvo and Chevrolet chassis, and a useful supply of expendable and reconditioned components is maintained.
I noticed some tins of Holt's Wondar Weld, which the garage foreman assured me were held in readiness should a sudden freeze-up occur. The Anderson vehicles are kept under cover at night to prevent freezing. Mr. Anderson informed me that his vehicles were never stationary long enough for the cooling water to freeze during the day.