The Importance of Running Costs Figures.
Page 1
Page 2
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
1 T always seems to us that (taking the commercial motor, industry as a whole and not overlooking the fact that there are important exceptions to the rule) manufaeture•rs do not pay sufficient regard to the value of the great claims that can be advanced on behalf of • all mechanically propelled vehicle on the score of reduced running costs.
The makers of the efficient vehicles (and they are, by a long way, the more numerous class and the more. important section of the industry) have nothing whatever to fear in the matter of comparison of .running costs. They can even go so far as to assert (being able to prove the truth of their contention) that first cost is one thing and running costs another —that a higher first cost is amply justifiable if much lower running costs can be assured; in fact, that quality will tell in the long run. • There are innumerable traders and manufacturers who continue to use railway transport., and even horsed vehicles, and to whom it can bred proved that, besides offering speed in delivery and the advantages of lessened handling and reduced packing, the motor vehicle can show lower ton-mile charges than are pos.sible when the older means of transport are employed. Even more important still is the fact that present users of commercial motors eau have it definitely demonstrated to them, by sheer force of example, that their own running costs are unnecessarily high—through ignorance, bad management, or defective fleet operation—and that they could the better compete in prices or service if they would endeavour to equal the disclosed attainments of other users in running and maintenance costs. Much can. be done by manufacturers to assist users to keep 'their costs. After all, it is an extraordinarily simple matter, calling, even with a large fleet, for the attention of but one clerk for part of his time. We have , dealt with the matter on a number of occasions and have shown that a single retard book is all that is required, the quantities and values of supplies and parts issued from the stores to each vehicle being, recorded daily, the day's. journey and the milea.ge , covered occupying spaces in two other columns, ; whilst the month's mileage and tonnage and total, outlay are shown at the foot of the page. A simple . calculation gives the cost per mile and ton-mile, to which should be added the ascertained proportion of maintenance, tyre, and establishment charges. Makers should do everything to assist users, because ' there is nothing so convincing and satisfying as a set of well-kept fig,ures--both to the unconverted and to those who already.employ mechanical transport.
Steam Wagon Wagon Haulage for Millers.
THE ARTICLE dealing with the fleets and transport methods of several prominentmillers, which was published in Our last issue, haa aroused widespread interest in the milling industry, and the well-known trade journal Iliilling has obtained our permission to reprint it, together with the illustrations. This is all to the geed of the commercial vehicle industry, on the principle that " the proof of the pudding is the eating thereof." Satisfied users in any particular trade are far more likely to influence others in that trade to use, or to increase the use of, motor vehicles, than are satisfied users who have to deal with entirely different classes of goods.
For general all-round work, the steamwagon appears to be the most suitable type of vehicle for the miller, whose loads are bulky and-heavy, whilst, in the majority of cases, the distances. which have to he traversed between deliveries are not very great.. Pet;rol wagons are also employed in many instances, and these prove advantageous when quick deliveries of loads up to five tons have to be delivered to places comparatively far away. One of the great benefits obtained with the steam wagon is its capacity to haul with ease a trailer carrying an additional four or five tons of flour, thus increasing the total load-carrying capacity of the vehicle to at least 10 tons, and, as no more men are required than when a wagon without a. trailer is employed, the economy of operation is very marked. Most of the millers are ardent exponents of delivery by road • certainly much of the work could not be done otherwise, but, even when: the railway could. be e-m,ployed, this is seldom done. For one leading factor in this we must. turn to the bakers; they much prefer to have their flour handled by experienced millers' men, who do not mind taking a little extra trouble in stacking the bags to suit individual tastes—a preferential treatment which would certainly not be accorded by the railway employees.
Taxi Sidecars at the Seaside.
IN this column in last week's .issue we outlined the experiences, covering up to eighteen months, of the drivers of motorcycle taxis in the Birmingham district. In that area the men do not seem to find enough work for their vehicies, of which, by the way, there are not more than 30; they regard long journeys as being the more remunerative, although they are becoming all too rare ; and -they consider that there is so little profit in running this class of machine that they would prefer the light car type, seating two or three people, such as was described and illustrated recently in this journal. Discussing this selfsame question with a motorcycle taxi driver at Brighton, he tells us quite a different story. He was the pioneer driver of the type, and now owns a second machine, whilst there are 20 of the machines licensed to ply for hire in the borough. There was agood deal of trouble at first with the drivers of the four-wheeled taxis, who, by crowding the motorcycle taxis on the cab ranks, partially obscured them from public observation. This crowding being contrary to by-law, the police quickly took action on complaint being made, and afterwards detailed a special rank for the small machines alongside the Aquarium. The public has taken very greatly to the motorcycle taxis because of their efficiency and comfort and the courtesy of the drivers. The machines often cover ao triers a day, and the short trips pay quite as well as the long ones, because of the higher ratio of the tip to the fare. During. the Easter recess the motorcycles were observed to be always on the go, and often the rank would be empty ofthem, whilst the cabs on the adjacent rank did not pick up anything like the same prciportion of !fares.
e.3.0 We noticed, on a busy morning, how handy the motorcycle taxi, in the hands of a good driver, can be in traffic. It is certainly faster than a fourwheeler could be, the journey hem the Aquariura"to the station, for example, occupying only four minutes. The taximeter for this trip showed is. 4d., and, allowing for a bag and a tip, a total payment of 2s., which would be, and is, willingly paid, is quite a satisfactory and profitable recompense. The charges locally sanctioned are Is. for the first mile and 9d per subsequent quarter-mile, with a charge
of 2d. for A wait of tout minutes or less. . . The opinion of the pioneer driver of motorcycle taxis in Brighton, as recently expressed to the chief constable, is that the three-wheeler will largely displace the four-wheeler for a great part of the work of a town, of whjch a large proportion of the population, almost at all seasons of the year, is there on pleasure bent. He assured us that from the financial standpoint the. business was quite a satisfactory one, and his only complaint under thin head concerned the cost of the body. The motorcycle—a B.S.A.--was good value for money, but 290 for the body (and he
pointed to details) was an absurdly high figure. Sound bodywork. at a. reasonable price is essential in this industry.
Increasing the Comfort of Coach Passengers.
IN ORDER that the popularity of motor coaching shall be maintained and increased, it is most essential that the comfort of passengers should be studied in every way. We have dealt, times withcue number, with the necessity for providing adequate protection from inclement weather, but there are other ways in which comfort ean, and should, be increased.
There are three points at which shocks are reduced between their source (i.e., the road) and the passenger. These are the tyres, the springs, and the upholstery, and, if the greatest attention is paid to all of these, the -passenger will .certainly appreciate the difference.
If uncomfortable vibratibn is felt in a coach, the traveller is very apt to blame the maker of the chassis, but this is often quite unfair. Much of the vibration may be due to the springs, but often even this may result more from neglect than from bad design. .
In considering what can be done to decrease vibration, the three points must all he considered. The upholstery should be deep and well sprung, but the depth must not be carried to excess, otherwise a passenger will be jumped up and down in the vehicle in a manner net conducive to comfort. • So far as the main springs are concerned, without actually altering the design of these little can be done to improve them beyond keeping them free from rust and well lubricated, and the shackle pins well oiled. The condition of the tyres is very important. The tyres are looked to to absorb practically all the small inequalities of the road and toaabsorb small vibration without passing them on. The solid tyre can only perform this function to a limited extent, and then_ only if it has a sufficient thickness of rubber, and this is one paint which many owners fail to appreciate. They let their tyres wear down almost to the vulcanite foundation, and the vibration on the vehicle increases in proportion to the amount of wear.
Some owners who run harries as well as coaches allow the tyres on their coaches to wear but slightly, and then change them over to the lorries. This is an eminently practical way of dealing with the matter, but few coach owners also run lorries. However, it would appear practicable for coach owners to arrangewith lorry owners to pass over their partially worn tyres for use on the lorries, thus ensuring that the coaches will always he well shod.