1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152 
Commers for Long distance Work
Page 34
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
OUT of a fleet of 77 vehicles, The Metal Agencies Co., Ltd., Avon Works, Winterstoke Road, Bristol, 3, operates 42 Commer QX underfloorengined 5-6-tonners on long-distance delivery work The concern is a supplier and manufacturer of equipment for the building, engineering and allied trades and serves a territory southwest of a line drawn from Chester to Brighton.
All customers in this area receive regular deliveries at least once and, sometimes, twice a week The nature of the goods makes it imperative that deliveries are made on the day laid down in the delivery schedule. Vehicles returning a high reliability factor are therefore essential.
As the distances covered are long, the vehicles had to be reasonably comfortable for the driver, as well as reliable, and it was necessary that they should be capable of running a big mileage between overhauls. "The Commer QX type has fulfilled these conditions completely," declares the concern, "and although the oldest one has reached 135.000 miles and a number of others has run between 50,000 miles and 120,000 miles, no major replacements have been found necessary." The average mileage per week for these vehicles is between 600 miles and 900 miles. and the fleet coveted nearly lim. miles last year:
The small number of failures on the road is attributed to the thorough maintenance system operated. The Bristol-based vehicles are taken into the company's garage once a month for a day. As far as possible, drivers are encouraged to remain with their vehicles and to help with repairs. A detailed inspection of the chassis and body is made, and in conjunction with the Remington Graphdex record system, most routine maintenance operations, such as brake refacing, tyre changing, attention to engine valves and seats can be anticipated and fitted into the monthly docking schedule.
The works manager of Metal Agencies, Mr. R Hammond, says that the Bristol distributor for Commer vehicles, Cathedral Garage, Ltd., has been a major factor in the success of the fleet. "The! have given every help and technical assistance and have made prompt delivery of any spare parts required," he declares.