Personnel Selection
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Replies to Readers' Questions concern Staff Recruitment, Claims for Loss of Use, Casual Hire Charges for a 7-tonnet and Emergency Lighting
SECURITY of vehicles and their loads is currently receiving increasing attention 'from operators, their national associations and police authorities. As was stated at a recent conference by an inspector of the Metropolitan Police, there is no one solution to this grave problem, and the overall objective of all concerned must be an endeavour to reduce the prevatenee of this type of theft.
One of the several aspects to which operators are recommended to give closer attention is the selection of personnel. Because of the seriousness of the situation, operators, who are otherwise in direct competition with one another, nevertheless realize that it is in their wider interest to exchange information as to the trustworthiness of their employees more readily than they may possibly have cared to do in the past.
Even so, the prime responsibility for interviewing staff must remain with the individual operator. It can be too readily assumed that ability, in other directions—such as traffic control or engineering skill—is necessarily an asset when the selection of personnel is being undertaken.
Before an interview takes place and, indeed, before the vacancy is advertised, the employer should obviously have a clear understanding of the actual qualities required in the job to be filled. Although in many instances it may be taken for granted that these are already well known, it would nevertheless be worth while to endeavour to itemize such qualities.
IN this respect the omnibus term " driver " can cover a variety of jobs which can be substantially dissimilar although admittedly involving the driving of a motor vehicle. In one instance, for example, such an employee would look upon himself as primarily a salesman, and his ability in this direction may well add substantially to his pay packet. Moreover, the goodwill of his company may be largely in his hands, due to the fact that he may be the only direct contact the customer has with his employer. At the other end of the scale, the longdistance trunk driver, whilst not being encumbered with, say, the handling of cash and the innumerable individual require
ments of retail customers, would especially need a high standar( of physical fitness to enable him to maintain a regular schedule( run in all weather conditions, coupled with resourcefulties essential in over-night working should a breakdown Occur. It is therefore essential at the outset,_ when considering thi filling of a vacancy, to determine the manual and menta requirements of a particular job and the relative proportim of the two. Another factor to be considered, and particular!: relevant to transport operation, is the extent to which thi employee will be under direct supervision or, alternatively, fill proportion of time during which he will be expected to wort on his own initiative. In this latter respect, there is again distinction to be made between the driver on retail clistributioi and the one on long-distance work.
IN the absence of the former heavy goods vehicle drivinl licence, operators today have, at least to some extent, to accep the possession of a general driving licence as proof of th. applicant's ability to drive. Nevertheless, many prudent opera tors prefer to supplement this information by arranging their owi driving test. Even so, the personnel responsible for conductin, such tests, for example the garage foreman or transport manage himself, invariably have other and more important duties ti perform. The result is that the conducting of such tests i not always given the attention it deservcs. For this reaso many of the largest organizations operating their own fleets o vehicles prefer to hand over the responsibility for such tests t driving schools whose prime function is just such work, wit the added advantage of absolute impartiality.
Relative to the physical fitness of the applicant, the workin conditions of the job under review should be analysed as t the inherent speed, possible hazards, duration of shifts an the extent to which the employee would, be working for th most time in association with other people—such as occut when a driver is on parcels delivery—or alternatively in relativ isolation as on an over-night trunk run.. Thus, whereas particular type of driver may be ideal when employed o agricultural work where relatively heavy loads have t be moved, he could prove unsatisfactory in parcel work where dexterity is essential. Similarly, it is necessar to segregate the type of driver who prefers, or alte. natively dislikes, working largely on his own.
Having analysed the job to be filled, it is then necessar to make a corresponding assessment of each applicant ability and attainment. Obviously for many types c driving job, defects in health or physique might preclud employment. In addition to whatever steps were take to check actual driving ability on a particular vehici which he would handle, it may also be necessary to tak account of an employee's particular knowledge of a area, should this be relevant. In some types of wonl such as tramping, a knowledge of potential sources c traffic in the main industrial areas, coupled with a above-average level of intelligence might be essential. Yi the man who would fill such a position admirably cou:
)rove unsatisfactory in a more routine job, involving routine letiveries restricted to a local area.
On analysis, therefore, it becomes evident that although the ;eneral term " driver ".may be used, the actual work involved n superficially similar jobs necessitating the use of a motor 'chicle can be quite different. Because labour constitutes such . high proportion of transport costs, it is particularly essential hat square pegs" should not be fitted into "round holes." Co avoid this costly error it is essential first to evaluate correctly • ach particular driving job and then, so far as modern employsent conditions permit, select the most suitable applicant.
WEST COUNTRY reader states that shortly after taking 'elivery of a 10-ton six-wheeler it was involved in an accident or which the other party admitted liability. The vehicle was if the road for approximately one month, but on submission his claim for loss of use the amount was disputed by the isuranee company of the other operator. The reader asks or an appraisal of the position in such circumstances.
At the outset it should he stated that whilst The Commercial lotor offers advice about the general principles of commercial ehicle costing and the legal aspects of transport operation, it ; not possible to take sides in any issue such as arises in this ase. In this, and any similar instance, where a party is at ariance with an insurance company relative to a claim and ; unable to obtain satisfaction himself or through his insurance roker, it is advisable to obtain the services of a solicitor if le operator considers he has a good case—and preferably an dvocate who has a wide and specialized knowledge of road -ansport.
In normal circumstances, where a commercial vehicle is put if the road because of an accident for which the driver was ot in any way responsible, any claim for subsequent damages muld first include the actual cost of repairs. Additionally, se standing costs (i.e., licences, wages, rent and rates, insurance nd interest) would also continue and have to be met throughut the period the vehicle was off the road, and should be icluded in the claim for loss of use.
In the case of a professional haulier operating for hire or :ward, there would also he justifiable grounds for claiming ir loss of earnings during that period. This amount could c fairly assessed by comparison between a similar period nmediately prior to the accident. In this particular case, owever, no such records were available because of a change F type of vehicle. It would, however, be possible to obtain Le average earnings over a corresponding period in respect f the vehicle which was replaced. In the absence of any ther comparable data. it should then be possible to arrive at acceptable assessment by an adjustment relative to the triation in the carrying capacity of the two vehicles.
If, on the other hand, the vehicle is operated under a C cence the earnings of the vehicle would not arise relative io claim for loss of use, or at least not in the same manner ; with the professional haulier. The C-licence operator in ;eh a situation would presumably still need to move goods here and when he required. and, in order to do so, would we to hire a replacement vehicle. In contrast to the prossional haulier who would add his loss of earnings to his aim, the ancillary user would make a claim for hire charges, addition to the repairs of his own vehicle and the standing ist which would continue during the period of repair.
Relative to individual circumstances there may be excepans as concerns the item of wages. Strictly speaking, whilst e operator's vehicle was off the road it might be claimed at the driver would be stood off, but under modern employgilt conditions this might not be a practical proposition. ,here. however, a vehicle was hired it may well be that the erator's own man would be employed to drive it, in which ent this cost would not be included along with the other items of standing costs in respect of the vehicle under air. Operating Costs. the two elements of transport operation— time and mileage—are reflected in the division of operating costs as between standing and running costs.
This division is of vital concern to the prosperity of the road transport operator. Thus, as shown in the current edition of the tables, the recommended minimum charge per mile for a 7-ton oiler when averaging 400 miles a week is 2s. 3d. At 800 miles a week the recommended charge is Is. 8d. per mile.
If, therefore, a quotation was made on the assumption that 800 miles per week would be averaged and that this was subsequently found to be 400, the quotation would be underestimated by 35 per cent. From this example it is apparent that it is imperative to know beforehand to what use the vehicle is to be put. If however no sound information is available on this point then the operator should provide some safeguard by making the quotation as a combination of a time-plus-mileage charge. Thus in this instance there would be a charge per hour of 10s. ld. plus a charge of Is. 2-1-d. per mile, or Is. per mile if 400 miles per week or over were averaged.
There is, however, another factor to be borne in mind when preparing a quotation for the use of a vehicle involving a comparatively low mileage. As shown in the tables for the 7-ton oiler the profit for the week when operating 200 miles is shown as £4 18s. rising to £9 8s. at 800 miles a week.
EMERGENCY lighting is a subject of an inquiry from a London operator who asks for a statement as to the legal position as it now applies.
In February this year the Minister of Transport issued a draft amendment to the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations, 1959. One of the principal proposals concerned the carriage of distinctive lamps on certain emergency and " priority " vehicles. The Minister then considered that it was important that the permissive use of such lamps should be limited to a comparatively small and well-defined range of vehicles in order to confine it to cases where the need was clearly established. Additionally it was considered necessary to place some limit on the number of such lamps which, if uncontrolled, would detract from their significance and be a possible source of confusion to drivers.
The subsequent regulations have now been issued under the title "The Road Vehicles Lighting (Amendment) Regulations, 1961," obtainable from H.M. Stationery Office. price 4d., and with an operative date as from October 19.
Briefly, exemptions to the general restriction on the display of lights on motor vehicles other than red to the rear as given in Section 2 of the Road Transport Act, 1957, are varied so as to enable ambulances and vehicles used for police, fire brigade or fire salvage purposes to carry lamps displaying a blue light to the rear and road clearance vehicles to carry lamps displaying an amber light to the rear, subject to the lamps complying with the prescribed conditions. Road clearance vehicles are also permitted to display amber reflecting surfaces
facing rearwards. S.B.