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TRANSPORT FOR THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER.

23rd January 1923
Page 22
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Page 22, 23rd January 1923 — TRANSPORT FOR THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Details of a Successful Scheme by which the Commercial Traveller is Relieved of All Transport Difficulties for a Fixed Sum Annually.

TT IS surprising what. a great amount 1 of work can be done in this world without other than the persons chiefly concerned being much the wiser. This applies to the very extensive activities of the Coupe Co. and Motor Cab Co., of Great Britain, Ltd., of 47, Graham Street, Sloane Square, London, S.W. 1, with regard to the provision of various types of cars to meet the requirements of commercial travellers.

The company are, of course, extremely well known in their capacity as providers of high-class cars for private hire work, lint the fact that their fleet of vehicles for commercial travellers is 50 per cent. greater than that used on private hire work shows that this side of the business is of oven greater importance than the other.

In all, there are some 66 commercial travellers' cars, including 15 h.p. Napiers carrying 5-10-cwt. each, 1-ton F2 type Fiats and sonic Panhards. In addition to these, there are 14 goods-carrying vehicles comprising 2 30-cwt. Vulcans, 1-ton'Napiers, and 3 1-ton Fords. The whole of these vehicles are garaged, when in London, at 10, South Wharf, Paddington, W., where the company have capacious premises capable of holding 90 machines.

Many cornpanies who employ travellers still. make use of the antiquated horsed vehicle, partly because they do not wish to lay ea the capital required to pur chase motor vehicles, and partly because they do not wish to have the trouble of keeping them in order. Of the large numbers who do use, motor vehicles, many expect •their travellers to attend to these vehicles themselves, so far as driving and the small amount of attention required on the road are concerned. In the opinion of the Coupe Co., this method considerably decreases the etficiency of . the traveller. They consider that it reduces his actual working day by something like three hours, which time is occupied in actual driving, arranging for the vehicle to be looked after at stops, Cleaning up before paying calls, and arranging_ for the vehicle to be garaged at night. _Therefore, it is usually better for a chauffeur to be provided, and in order entirely to relieve both the traveller and his employers from trouble, the company will provide, maintain, and supply with fuel and oil a satisfactory vehicle at` a' fixed price per annum, which includes the services of a driver.

The price, of course, depends upon the type of vehicle and the yearly mileage. Taking a light vehicle as an example, the contract figure would be between £450 and £550 per annum, according to the mileage, which usually averages 10,000. When away from London the traveller is expected to make a lodging allowance to the driver; this is usually 7s. 6d. per night.

Apart from the types of chassis, the vehicles have various classes and sizes of bodies to suit the particular 'requirements of the hirers. The interiors and shelves are also arranged to individual specifications. Some have merely plain van-type interiors, others are fitted with two or three rows of shelves, rails for coat hangers for the convenient carrying of mantles, dresses, etc., and in fact, anything in reason which the customer may require. Front sliding doors are not popular ()Wing to the danger of theft-, and also because the tip-up seats which then have to be provided are not very comfortable.

Very great care is taken by the company to keep the vehicles in the finest possible condition. Sometimes the cars axe away for periods of four months oe so' but all those which return to the Pacldington garage are inspected every Saturday marning, the foreman in charge running the engine and making general tests for the condition of the steering, shackles, etc. Running repairs are done at this garage, but overhauling is attended to at the headquarters of the company at 4'7, Graham Street, Sloane Square.

Groat importance is placed upon keeping the vehicles on the road, and with this in view sufficient spares and complete units are kept in stock to enable Any part or unit to be replaced at a moment's notice.

At -this point we may mention that the company do overhauling and repairing of outside vehicles as well as of their own. They make a speciality of taxicab work, and the overhauls required to enable thtse to pass Scotland Yard. Many of the spares are actually made in their own shape This applies to timing dears and other gears which do not require case-hardening, mud wings, road springs, etc. They claim that they oh:tam better results from their own springs than from those purchased outside, whilst., as regards repairs' they bore their own cylinders, and even bore out and fit new castellated centres ,to the driving hubs of Napier vehicles, these centres being shrunk into position and held by six pegs, half in the hubs and half in the centres.

The pneumatic tyres used are chiefly of Dunlop make, as these are giving very satisfactory results.

• Throughout the fleet, the fuel employed is National benzoic 50-50 mixture, and on the average this has decreased the fuel consumption by 12 per cent. The fuel at the Paddington garage is stored in a•Bowser tank of 3,000-gallon capacity, provided with the usual Bowser type of pump. At the headquarters, however, a Steel Barrel equipment is utilized, consisting of two separate 1,000-gallon tanks.

Mr. A. W. Stringer, the general manager, informed us that he could not speak too highly of his Napier machines. These are of pre-war. pattern, but have done wonderful work.

Every car carries a Pyrene fire-extinguisher on the dash, and the vehicles ire, of course, provided with combined mileometers and speedometers, which are all kept in thorough working order by contract with S. Smith and SZas, Ltd. We will now devote a little attention to the private hire part of the business,and in this connection it will be interesting to give a short history of the company. They were established a quarter of a century ago, and originally hired out the yellow-wheeled horsed coupes from which they derived their name ; in fact, they actually designed this type of vehicle, and gave it its French name. However, the company had to march with the times, and so purchased motor vehicles, although they still do a little hiring work with horsed coupes. The private hire fleet of approximately 50 vehicles comprises cars of Crossley, Talbot and Panhard manufacture, all tieing pest-war models. These are kept in excellent condition, as behoves vehicles which may be called upon at any moment to act as private cars for the well-to-do, extending to, and even including, Royalty, as shown by the fact that their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain make use exclusively o the Coupe Co.'s cars when in this country. Consequently, the drivers have to be very smart. They are all highly trained servants, and have to wear uniform.

The charges are based on time, and mileage, and the vehicles are permitted to travel anywhere, either here or on the Goutinent ; in the latter case, an increased charge of 15 per cent, is made on that for London, in order to cover insurance, etc.

Tags

Organisations: Scotland Yard
People: A. W. Stringer
Locations: London

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