SOME HAULIERS' QUERIES.
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"The Skotch " Replies to Some of the Interesting Questions Submitted to Him by Those Engaged in the Haulage Industry.
IN LAST week's article I dealt with a reader's log sheets and promised to criticise them in the succeeding contribution and explain them in conjunction with other criticisms which I should by then have received from readers, forgetting for the moment that my next article would have to be written before readers would have had an opportunity to peruse and digest the current one. I am, 'therefore, delaying dealing with last week's article until next -week and, , in the meantime, hope that I shall have several communications on the subject from readers.
There are, however, one or two urgent queries which I should like to get on with and to answer. The first is from a London man, whom I. will call " Cosmos" ; it relates to the use of trailers. This correspondent asks three cpieetions. First, whether a trailer may, without detriment to the chassis, be used in conjunction with a 13-24 li.p. Tillie van, type MIA2. Second, as to his legal standing in the matter. Third, the best type of trailer for light and bulky goods.
Using a Trailer behind a Light Van.
As to the first, a reply on general grounds should be in the negative. The chassis in question has not been constructed to run in conjunction with a. trailer, and in such circumstances one is generally justified in advising against. The circumstances, however, are rather unusual. This particular chassis has a capacity for a net load of 30 cwt. The commodities in which the firm is interested are light and bulky, so that, even when using the van to its utmost capacity and not omitting even to pile things on the roof, the greatest load that can be put upon it is only from 12 cwt. to 14 cwt. Naturally, my correspondent feels that he is net getting full value for his money, and it has to he admitted that 0. trailer appears to be the only practicable solution.
The difficulty appears to be that of discovering a trailer which, while strong and durable enough to sustain the load, shall, nevertheless, be so light that it will not itself absorb all the remaining load' capacity of the van, for it must be remembered that every ounce weight. of the trailer counts to the full as load on the van. There were trailers made during the war, when the enthusiasm for coal-gas was at its height, which would be admirable for the purpose. If I remember aright they were manufactured by Cox's Light Trailer Co., 6, Lansdowne Hill, West Norwood, S.E. • Perhaps " Cosmos " will communicate with that firm and see if they can help him.
Two Important Aspects of Trailer Use.
Legally, there are two aspects of the matter which have to be considered ; speed, and braking. The former is governed by the weight of the,, towing vehicle. If, as I imagine will 'be the case in this instance, it weighs less than two tons unladen. the legal limiting speed is the same as that of any motorcar. Practically, the speed is also limited by the necessity for extreme care at corners. The sort of thiing that is likely to happen if such care is not exercised can very well. I think, be left to the imagination of the reader. "As regards braking, this matter is determined, from the legal aspect, acdording to the actual weight, unladen, of the trailer. If it be less than two hundredweights unladen. it may go scot free in this regard. 'Rover that weight it must be fitted with brakes, which must be operated by the B32 driver of the van or by a spare man who will have to ride on the trailer.
Private Hire Running Costs.
Another correspondent, "Local," wants. to know what. are reasonable running costs for a private hire car. He tells me that he imagines that his present costs are excessive. If he had only told me what type, make, and horse-power is the car in which he is interested, and if he had, at the same time, given me some idea as to the actual running costs•of his vehicle, I should have been better able to have 'given 'him some useful assistance. As it is, all that I can suggest is that it ought to cost him about 1.60 pence per mile for fuel, a third of a penny for lubricants, 10. for tyres, a penny for maintaanence and nine-tenths of a penny for depreciation. Total 5A-rd pence per mile. These, he should bear in mind, are the, bare running costs only ; to obtain acomplete estimate of the total cost of working. this particular vehicle he should add the following :—Driver's wages, interest on first cost of the car, insurance, garage charges, and licensin. These items should be calculated on a weekly basis . and the figure thus obtained divided by the. average weekly mileage ; the result will be the standing charge per mile, and this, added to the 'above figure for running costs, will give the total per mile. For, example, if he finds that his total amounts to 25 a week and the mileage run for the same period is 400.. then his standing charges are 3d. a mile and his total cost of working is Si pence per mile.
A Fair Scale of Hire Charges.
Another correspondent, named " Silversmith," wants a whole budget of information ; he wants fair scales of charges for a five-tonner, four-tonner, threetonner, twostonner, 30 cwt. and'one-tonner. He will find them. set out in the accompanying table, and, in explanation, I would poilit out to him that in calculating a charge for any contract, he must reckon lip the cost for the actual mileage, according to the first line of the table ; to that total he must add a charge for time, based on the weekly charge which is given in the second line of the table, or in the daily charge in the third line. I have adopted this method in calculating the complete charge per mile which is given in the fourth line, working on a basis of 300 miles per week, which is a figure he mentions in his letter. If the mileage per .week differs from this, the costs and charges will differ accordingly. If the mileage is lea. per week, the charge will be more and vice-versa. For example, taking the case of the fivetonner, if it only runs 200 miles a week, the chi' should be 221 10s. for the week plus 200 times 1s: 24, which amounts to 233 3s. 4d. for the full week, 26 13s: for the day or 3s. 4d. per mile.