Answers to Queries.
Page 17
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Acts and Regulations.
11.371 BIRMINGHAM " writes :—"We have received from one of our customers a letter, of which we enclose a copy, asking for regulations in English towns for the use of commercial motors. If vou can enable us to reply, we should be very much obliged to you."
[Com) As the load automobiles come more and more into use in England, there are no doubt special regulations edited by the municipalities of the English towns for the transport of 000ds by such automobiles. One of the municipal engineers of Moscow asks us to get for him these regulations, and by so doing you will greatly (Adige.
ANsaaux.—The best summary is contained in a pamphlet issued by the Commercial Motor Users' Association, of 1, Albemarle Street, kV., and we have asked the Secretary to send on a copy to you. Kindly remit 6d. in stamps to him.
The Checking of Axle-weight.
11,,a381 " Dot7aTeut enquires :—Can my driver be ordered by the officer of one authority to go to a weighbridge outside the area of his jurisdiction? le The case which has occurred, the weighbridge was at a distance of less than half-a-mile from the point at which the request preferred, but it was beyond the boundaries (>1 the urban district council in whose employ the assistant surveyor %Vtis.
ANswER.The request was in legal order, under Article XII of the Order of tool.. Our view is strengthened by a consideration of the position with regard to heavy kwomofives. Under Section 4 of the Locomotives Act i8( rti, oon,ver is given to road authorities for ascertaining the weight of locomotives and wagons. but it is specially provided that the weighing machines shall be erected by the mad authorities within their respective districts. The framers of Article XIT had Section 4 of the 1898 Act in their minds, and it seems clear to us that their intention was to get over the necessity of having the weighing machine within the district of the particular authority. Vans for the Delivery of Oil, etc.
11,3391 " T.H." writes :—" T have two one-horse floats which I use for the delivery of oils, etc., in drums and barrels, and, as I inn continually having trouble with the
horses and men, I would like to know if you can say whether the installation of a motorvan will be of any advantage from the following details :— " The radius of delivery is t5 miles; I collect all my own goods from tlw station, and deliver to customers. Loads vary in weight from 5 to 3o cwt., and it often happens that goods are 'wanted in two opposite directions on the same day. The average delivery per week is about to tons ,collection would be about the same). I can only give the van about 30 miles a day to do."
ANSWER.—Thirty miles a day is not enough to show any large economy over horses. We are afraid you cannot anticipate any saving in money unless you are prepared to take in some deliveries which you now do by carrier or rail. It is very hard to get down the cost of such a van, if allow ance is made for depreciation and maintenance on a proper scale, as well as for contingencies.., to less than ,3oo a year, and the van is certainly working at its best when it is given a minimum of 31)1) miles a week.
We doubt if even your present total of r8o miles a week (presuming vou run the full distance on Saturdays) could be accomplished at less than the minimum quoted above
;66 weck. You would, however, if vou could lay out to double that mileage, get the second half of the work at
something like half that required for the first x8o miles a week. You will understand, of course, that interest and depreciation, amounting to something like 35s. a week, is a standing charge, and the driver's wages may be regarded
in the same light. Thus, approximately 1-23 55. per week has to be put upon the total mileage accomplished, and this,
on the basis of only 180 miles a week, is of itself 4.3—I., which is reduced to 2.17d. if the mileage is doobled. The ability of a purchaser to give a van plenty of work is really the key to economy.
We think you would find it a good plan to ask sonic wellknown maker to give a demonstration to you on the spot.