TRANSPORT TIPS FOR TRADESMEN.
Page 15
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Particnlarly Addressed to Those Who are Replacing Horsed Vehicles by Motors, or Contemplating So Doing.
ISHOULD like to suggest that traders' operating motorvaris might well apply_ to all matters relating to loading and deliveries the, quite elementary scientific principles that are already applied in many eases in factories in this •country, and even more
perhaps in the United States. .
We are, I think, too hutch disposed to ignore what we may regard as finicking, details. We do not, perhaps, realize quite fully the change that. has taken place in the value of time. There is still just a trace of the old theory, that "what. was good enough for. C.111' fathers is good enough for us," and we do not ask ourselves quite sufficiently often whether we could not revise the . established methods to our advantage.
Saving Seconds.
The business of saving seconds is becoming more and more worth while, because seconds are growing more and more expensive commodities to purchase. Some of .rey readers have, perhaps, seen cinematograph films illustrating all the movements which have to be made by a factory worker in performing some .simple and often repeated operation. It is, for example, found that sonic one worker le far quicker or far slower than others. . If films are taken and the worker's movements are then analysed by running the films through very slowly, it will almost invariably be seen that the slower worker is making unnecessary movements which are cut out by the faster worker. If this is discovered, the slower worker can be carefully trained to copy the More correct mo,venients indicated by the film, and the result in many eases has been a tremendous increase in output.
Without going so far as to take films, theexpense of which is only justified when we are dealing with some operation on which perhaps hundreds of workers are engaged, it is now no uncommon matter to call in an efficiency expert, who, by carefully watching the exact conduct of a proceas, will be able to indicate just how, say, five seconds can he saved here and another three seconds there. It is when these second's are multiplied by a few thousands or millions that the importance of having them becomes apparent.
Now, the work of loading or unloading a motor vehicle cannot be standardized in the same way as a process in a machine s.hop or in a textile factory. The man Who handles packages must vary his treat ment of them according to their size, shape, and weight, We -cannot .teaeli him an exact series of movements which can be repeated indefinitely. We ' can, however, see to it that he is mit employed on doing unnecessary work during a fair proportion of his time.. I suggest that very, often the owner of a 'business or an outsider is better qualified to out out unnecessary delays in a loading or 'unloading system than is a manager orloader who is so familiar with the existing method that he takes it for granted.
• There are, I am certain, plenty of eases in which the owner of vehicles, were he to watch the process, would see that lifting and carrying work could be reduced and lighter "forms of work freely, Substituted for heavier.
Some Elementary Maxims.
In examining the work from this standpoint, let us -remember a few perfectly simple facts and apply ii6ern to each stage of the operation: . (1) Direct lifting' is very tiring work.
(2) In raising a weight. to any higher level, directly or indirectly, considerable power must be employed, consequently— (3) All lifting or the pushing of packages up 'elope.a should he eliminated as far as possible.
(4) It is easier to roll a heavy weight than to push it along a surface, even though the surface is more than 'usually smooth, consequently- (5) Weights can be more easily shifted on trucks running on wheelsor rollers than by dragging them about.
(6) The biggest individual outputs are secured in industries where the workers have ample mechanical power put at their disposal.
(7) Mechanical power is almost invariably cheaper than man Power,
(6) The engine of a standing vehicle develops power which could often be used and is generally neglected.
From these elementary paints, one fact that emerges is that the engine, either separately or as part of the vehicle, should be made to do as much of the lifting work as poesible. Also, that the goods waiting to be loaded should be so placed that they do not have to be raised through any appreciable distance before they can be put into the vehicle. body. If, for any reason, they have to be collected on a level the same as that of the. public road outside the premises, then it would Save much manual labour to make, within the yard, a properly drained incline down which the vehicle can pass until its platform is no higher than the goods that are to be put in. The vehicle itself, when loaded, will then do the necessary lifting from ground level to the normal level of the platform of the Vehicle when on the road. This is merely one of many indications of a possible saving of labour.
Another -little point to remember is that it is very _ hard work to carry anything with' the elbows bent. -An adjustment of a few inches might make the difference between this being often necessary and it being possible for the men who are loading to take nearly all weights with Straight arms. 'Again, we might find that by some slight alteration of arr 'augments we can reduce the average distance that a parcel has to be carried before it can be put into the vehicle.
We must also consider what is going to happen when deliveries take place. Are our parcels.habitaally arranged so that the one that is wanted is .always ready to hand, having regard to the order in which the deliveries. will naturallybe made in doing the round? How much time do our men waste. in accepting payment on delivery or in taking the same parcels two or three times because the purchaser has forgotten to leave the money handy? Does the extra business resulting from the adoption of this system more than counterbalance the time lost and the consequent reduced efficiency of the delivery van arid of the driver? Does the business lend itself to an arrangement under which detachable bodies may be used and the loading of some of these may go on steadily while the others, mounted on the chassis, are out on the road'? In general, are there any simple mechanical appliances or devices, not, unreasonably expensive, which would help us to get work done more quickly and to substitute engine power for man power to a greater extent than is yet customary in the class of work under consideration?