OPINIONS
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QUERIES
DO THE RAILWAYS REFUSE TRAFFIC?
[48581 This correspondence could be continued almost indefinitely, but I should like the opportunity of one further reply to " Transex." First, my policy is pro-transport, as the industrial well-being of the country depends largely on an efficient transport organization. Traders can expect efficient transport only if they be willing to pay economic rates for it. To escape the accusation made by " Transex," that they manipulate rates with a view to refusing traffic, the railway companies would require, in every case, to quote such a rate as would enable the traffic to pass by rail, irrespective of whether that rate was economic and regardless of its effect on other rates already in
operation. His accusation applies with even greater force to the road-haulage industry,, because rates are quoted which are not acceptable—instances are given regularly in The Commercial Motor. It could also apply to industry in general, where tenders are too high to obtain the contract.
Why, then, should " Transex " confine his accusation to railways? The road-haulage industry, by reason of the fact that there is no control over its rates and that it can discriminate between traffics. which it will accept and refuse, not being subject to the common carrier's liability, can, and does, exercise opportunities of refusing traffic. I take it that " Transex " does not agree with Mr. Lampitt's statement and, therefore, if the rate at which a road-haulage concern could secure traffic would not show a profit, it would still accept that traffic !
There is no logical justification for the present system under which railway rates are publicly controlled and road rates are not. If industry is to be adequately served by transport it is essential that there should be some scheme of co-ordination by means of which each method of transport performs the function which it is best fitted to undertake. A.I.T.A. Glasgow.
IS OIL RECLAIMING REALLY AN ECONOMY?
[4859] I have read with interest the article on reclaiming used oil in your issue dated July 17. I would, however, dispute your opening statement that 50 per cent. of the used oil from commercial vehicles in this country can be recovered.
Let us take quite an average instance of a heavy lorry operating 16,000 miles per annum and running 500 m.p.g. of oil. This is completely changed every 4,000 miles and costs 2s. 6d. per gallon. If no oil were reclaimed, the total annual consumption would be 39 gallons (allowing for topping up). It is, however, possible to reclaim_ 5.25 gallons or 1346 per cent. of the total. Translated into money value, the 39 gallons represent an expenditure of 24 17s. 6d.; reclaimed crankcase oil shows a saving of 11s. 1lid., which, expressed as a percentage, equals 12.22.
According to the first annual reports of the Licensing Authorities, the average number of vehicles held under an A licence was 3.49 and 1.57 for B licences, so that the average is 21 vehicles per licence holder. Therefore, the money that any given licence holder could save would not be more than 24s. or 36s. per annum and it would take a long time, at that rate, even to work off the capital cost of the required plant.
I shall be interested to hear, in the light of hard facts, what these various filter manufacturers have to say. Their probable answer will be, "change your oil more frequently." The probability is that the average user will say that this is merely changing for the sake of it, in view of the frequent admixture of new oil. I am also rather inclined to think that any refiner or oil technologist would definitely disagree that the oil from these filters is of equal quality to the original oil. In any case, purification of oil presupposes both mechanical and chemical processes, and not all of these filters
possess both. JOHN WALTON, UNILEVER, LTD.
STANDARDIZING WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
[4860] It is of general interest now to call attention to the Weights and Measures Act, 1936, which received the Royal Assent on July 31. As many know, the Ballast, Sand and Allied Trades Association has, since its inception in 1930, made the standardization of measurement its principal work. The lack of any legal standard for selling by the cubic yard, and the fact that it has not been necessary to have any indication on the vehicle as to the amount carried on that vehicle, have been contributory causes to the great number of abuses to which the industry has been subjected. It is a curious fact that the cubic yard, although generally adopted in the trade, has been illegal as a measure of capacity. A similar anomaly, is the butchers' 8 lb. stone..
The Association originally endeavoured to institute
its own system of measurement, and made an effort to get this generally adopted wherever materials were Sold by the cubic yard. It eventually became evident, however, that with a voluntary organization there would always be those who would not join, and consequently trading conditions have been distinctly unfair. This decided the Association to use every effort possible to get the Board of Trade to introduce a Bill into the Houses of Parliament which would make a system somewhat on the lines of the B.S.A.T.A. loading-line and delivery-ticket system a necessity in the industry.
The Weights and Measures Act, 1936, when in operation, will legalize the cubic yard as a measure of capacity, and will make it necessary for any person, whether on his own behalf or on behalf of another
person, who sells, agrees to sell qr agrees to carry sand or brdlast, to do so by the cubic yard or by weight. It will be illegal to sell materials by the load, a. method of dealing with materials which has led to frauds being perpetrated which should not now be possible. The new Act makes it necessary for every vehicle. used for ,
the conveyance of sand and ballast by measure to have calibrators thereon, showing the cubic yardage the vehicle is capable of carrying. When the materials are sold by weight the vehicle will have to have the tare weight marked clearly thereon in ,a manner approved by the Board of Trade.
The person in charge of a vehicle being used for the conveyance of sand and ballast on a journey, any part of which is along a highway, will have to carry with him a conveyance note signed by the person who is responsible for the load being conveyed. A weights and measures inspector will have power to ask for this conveyance note to be produced at any time, and if he be not satisfied that the quantity on the vehicle agrees with the conveyance note, he can cause the sand or ballast to be levelled in the vehicle, or to be levelled and measured, the vehicle, as loaded, to be weighed by means of a weighing instrument stamped by an inspector, or the vehicle to be unloaded and the vehicle, or the sand or ballast or both, to be weighed by means of a weighing instrument stamped by an inspector.
Those who have stipulated the B.S.A.T.A. loadingline and delivery-ticket system on their tenders and orders for materials are particularly requested to continue to do so until such time as the Board of Trade makes regulations under the Act.
E. V. SMITH, Secretary.
Ballast, Sand and Allied Trades Association. London, W.1.
ASSESSING LOSS THROUGH ACCIDENT.
[4801] Please give me an estimate of loss of profit on an Albion rigid six-wheeler (1935 model) with a Gardner oil engine. It was involved in a collision and was under repair from Tuesday night until mid-day the following Sunday. We accordingly lost two trips to London and two to Southampton. Apparently the assessors wish to settle our claim on our overhead charges, i.e., depreciation, interest on capital, licences, wages, insurance, etc., and profits. T.D. Southsea.
[Loss of profits, £5; depreciation, £5; interest, £1; licence, £1 16s.; wages, £7; insurance, £1; total, £20 16s. You may find it advisable to modify some of the items in accordance with your actual expenditure. The loss of profit is calculated on the two trips to Portsmouth and two to London, which you state you have missed.—
WHY COSTS VARY.
[48521 We are very interested in The Commercial Motor Tables of Operating Costs, but are not quite able to reconcile your figures with the costs of our vehicle. We have a Dennis 40-45-cwt. van used for delivering kitchen cabinets, which, when the van is fully loaded, never exceed one ton in weight. Which category in Table I would this van come under-14, 2 or 3 tons?
We take it that the figures for rent and rates apply to garage costs. Although we are situated in the suburbs, where garage rents are supposed to be slightly cheaper, we have to pay a much higher figure than that mentioned in your Tables. Insurance is also consider
ably higher. J. MACRAE, For TRIUMPH CABINET WORKS, LTD.
London, N.7.
[The figures in The Commercial Motor Tables of Operating Costs are averages. They are conipiled from data collected from all sources, relating to vehicles engaged in all classes of work. Consequently, the experiences of individual users are almost sure to differ, their costs being either in excess of or lower than those quoted in the Tables. The figures which would apply to your vehicle are those relating to a 2-ton petrol vehicle. In actual fact, the loading does not greatly affect the average results, although you will probably find that, in the long run, your costs are a little less than the average. Both rent and rates and insurance are affected by the fact that the figures collected relate to provincial, as well as London, operators. London operators will naturally find that both garage rent and insurance premiums are somewhat higher than those in the Tables.--S.T.R.]
WHAT TO CHARGE FOR TIMBER HAULAGE.
[4863) How much should I charge per ton for timber to be carted from New Southgate, London, Nil, to . Saffron Walden (on the London side of Cambridge), using Bedford 3-tonners, returning empty?
London, N.11. F. GOULD.
[Allowing 4i hours for a complete round journey and taking the distance each way to be 40 miles, we calculate that you should charge a total of £2 2s. per journey, that is to say, 14s. per ton. The net cost cf operating your vehicle alone will be 31s. per journey, to which you should add 2s. 6d. to cover a proportion of your overhead costs. The actual cost per journey is £1 13s. 6d. The above calculations are based on the assumption that your vehicle is actually operating for 48 hours per week.