Bid for National Rates Structure
Page 28
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FIGURES stated to have been obtained in a check-up on the operation of chartered vehicles were quoted as showing " glaring weaknesses " in the functioning of the Government road-haulage scheme, when representatives of the Federation of Yorkshire Road Transport Employers and the Lincolnshire Transport Association attended the first joint meeting under the recently formed inter-county alliance of these two organizations, Discussion on the question of haulage rates for transport on behalf of the Hauliers' National Traffic Pool, during which it was reported that the Pool's Nottingham Area Management Committee had approved for its area a rates schedule involving the use of the railways' goods classification, led to the adoption of a resolution urging the introduction of a national road-haulage rates structure covering both Pool traffic and individual hauliers' traffic.
Opening the discussion on the Government scheme, Mr. Harry Clark, the Yorkshire Federation's manager and secretary, said his organization had been collecting evidence by means of a specially printed form of inquiry devised by the Federation.
The evidence thus collected had revealed some amazing facts. An average struck in respect of three vehicles of 6, S and 12 tons respectively showed that the amount of load carried was only 51.97 per cent, of capacity, empty running was 47.1 per cent., and time occupied in standing, loading and unloading was 49.9 per cent. •
• Discussion turned to rates for Hauliers' National Traffic Pool work when Mr. J. J. Forman gave details of the rates schedule which the Pool's Nottingham Area Management Committee—of which he is a member—has prepared for use in respect of traffic under its control. Mr. Forman said the schedule was based on a charge per mile covered by the vehicle, plus an fusurly charge, and with the railways' goodsclassification up to and 'Including Class 20. Dead mileage in excess of five miles would he paid for, The rates were:—
Class of Per Per vehicle, mile. hour.
s. d. s. d.
6 to 7 tuns ... 1 2i 5 8 10 to 12 tons ... I 7 2 14 to 15 tons ... 1 10 8 10 The mileage rates had been worked out from actual running costs over a 'period of six months, with an addition for profit. The railways' goods classification had been adopted because, having thoroughly examined various classification ideas, including the cubiccapacity basis, the Nottingham Area Committee could not see anything to beat it for its purpose.
Before coming to a decision the Committee had considered rates schedules which had been passed on from various Areas. The schedule had now been submitted to the Divisional Road Haulage Officer before submission to the Ministry of War Transport.
Mr. J. S. Hutchinson (Yorkshire) said the Yorkshire Federation had looked rather askance at the application of the railways' goods classification to road haulage rates. It was felt that a multiplicity of 'classes which afforded alternative classificatiians for an article or commodity was apt to
leave loopholes for rate-cutting. In contrast to the large number of railway classifications for machinery, there were only 12 classifications in a machinery rates schedule which had been prepared for the Federation by Mr. H. Scott Hall, " The Commercial Motor" rates expert.
Mr. Harry-Clark, suggesting that the situation called for the introduction of a national rates schedule which would cover both Pool traffic and individual operators' traffic, moved the resolution
s urging action on those lines. This was seconded by Mr. J. H. Atkin.