A Mrs. in a Man's World
Page 71
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Mrs. Hilda Davey, Managing Director of a Stokeon-Trent Haulage Business, Controls a Fleet of 14 Vehicles With Confidence and Efficiency From a Special Correspondent RESPONSIBILITY is sometimes thrust without warning upon people in business and this was the case with Mrs. Hilda Davey, managing director of A. and H. Davey (Roadways), Ltd., Vernon Road. Stoke-on-Trent, who for many years helped with the administration of her husband's fleet.
When he died in 1956, the many people in the area who thought there might be a prosperous haulage business on the market were soon proved wrong, for Mrs. Davey took the control of the concern into her own capable hands, and there is no doubt that it is run efficiently and economically. Nevertheless, even today, there is a slight air of surprise when some hauliers or dispatch managers discover a woman at the helm.
Nine to 16-tonners
The fleet for which Mrs. Davey is responsible consists of 14 vehicles ranging from nine to 16 tons, all engaged on general haulage, and one Land-Rover. With the exception of the Land-Rover and one Foden, the fleet consists entirely of standard E.R.F. vehicles, thp company's pride and joy being a new E.R.F. eight-wheeler, which came direct from the 1960 Commercial Motor Show.
Standard Bodies
The various units have no special design features, the stock bodywork from the factory being quite adequate for the type of traffic in which Daveys are engaged. A wide range of goods is carried, with special emphasis on tyres, steel, building materials and salt, a considerable quantity of work being performed for John Summers and Sons. Ltd., Shotton, Flintshire.
In the Blood
Haulage has been in the blood of the Davey family for generations, Mrs Davey's first contact with the industry being by way of her father-in-law, who operated horses and carts in Brighton at the beginning of the century. His three sons all entered the family business and then, as a young man, Mrs. Davey's husband broke away, starting up on his own in Stoke, with one vehicle and a shed, which constituted garage, maintenance section and spares shop, all in one.
Over the years gradually he increased the size of the fleet and in the past four years Mrs. Davey built it up to its present strength, although she freely admits to being ably assisted by her son Barry, and her daughter Kathleen, both of whom are directors of the company.
Memory Man
The company employs 24 drivers and Mr. Barry Davey relies entirely on his memory to determine the whereabouts of each man and vehicle. Every evening the drivers telephone the office to report any unexpected happenings and receive any change in orders. Work is carefully scheduled and the regular arrangements existing for back loads are planned so that there is no time wasted at either end of the journeys. If the driver is wanted urgently, a check with customers usually helps to find his whereabouts without delay, but generally the nightly call is enough to meet all operating emergencies.
Traffic suffers no seasonal demands and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, operates with smooth regularity all the year round. Vehicles work 24 hours a day, the drivers' shifts being planned so that as one man finishes, another is waiting to take over. On an average, each unit travels 70,000 miles a year on long-distance haulage, the longest regular run being to Ramsgate and back, 460 miles. Each vehicle carries approximately 55,000 tons annually and, on very busy days, 290 tons has been moved.
Average Age 2i Years
The Daveys are justly proud of their immaculate fleet in green and gold livery. the oldest vehicle having been in service for only three years. Mrs. Davey contends that by having a fleet with an average age of 21 years the risk of accidents and breakdowns is greatly reduced. Even so, each unit is thoroughly checked every day. Routine maintenance and adjustments are carried out on the premises, but for major overhauls and repairs, the vehicles go back to the E.R.F. factory at Sandbach, which is less than 20 miles away from the business. When a vehicle reaches four years of age it is exchanged for a new unit.
The efficiency of the organization as a whole is impressive, but even more so is the knowledge of the managing director, who obviously knows the business inside out.
This, in fact, would seem to be a characteristic of the relatively few women involved in haulage at an executive capacity—knowledge plus enthusiasm.