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TRANSPORT TIPS FOR TRADESMEN.

26th October 1920
Page 47
Page 47, 26th October 1920 — TRANSPORT TIPS FOR TRADESMEN.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Organization of Delivery Rounds.

THE TRADER, when he first takes up motor vehicles, is often told that he should consider the reorganization of his delivery system. This, of course, is perfectly correct. The motor, owing to its higher speed, will get a given round completed in a shorter time than the• horsed van. It can, therefore, be given a longer round and yet complete its deliveries at a time satisfactory to customers. The exact arrangement of the rounds is a matter for each trader to consider for himself. What would be right in one case ,would be wrong in another. Some people advocate the general principle of working along the circumference of a circle. This gives two uninterrupted runs along the radius of a circle, assuming that a different vehicle is used for the deliveries nearer home. It is, however, difficult to apply any definite principle unless one is operating a very considerable fleet, but, in any case, a certain amount of common-sense can be applied to the problem. Suppose, for example, that the round consists roughly of an outward journey and a return journey by a different route. If the number of deliveries to be made in the one half of the journey is considerably greater than the number in the other half, then the half which covers the most deliveries should be taken first. If this is done, the majority of the customers get earlier delivery A n d the vehicle disposes of the bulk of its load earlier' and, therefore, runs lighter on the average. This should result in some saving of fuel and, possibly, also of slight saving in time.

When Not to Use Motors.

There are a. certain number of traders who may be considering the advisability (of using motor vehicles and who could ' save themselves the trouble of studying the subject yet by settling that, for the time being at least, they would do better to stick to horsed vehicles. The motor vehicle is, of course, a much more expensive investment in the first instance than a horse and van. If the work that can be given it to do is only such as to be comfortably within the ability of a single=horsed van, and there are no great prospects of increasing the turnover of the business by extending "the area of deliveries, the trader need not hurry to make any change. The superiority of the motor lies in its greater powers of endurance and its higher speed. These two factors together making much larger mileages ,possible. If the endurance of the horse is not overtaxed and if his speed is quite sufficient to get the work done in good time and to allow a, margin for longer hours at rush periods, the motor, if purchased, would not be able to make use of its special advantages, and, for that reason, would probably not represent any economy.

, Having reached a decision to stick to horsed vehicles, the progressive trader would do *ell to review this decision at least every year. If he is progressive, his business is growing, or, at any rate, he will see opportunities for making it grow. A decision adverse to motor transport that was quite right this year might be quite wrong next year, in view of changed, requirements, or, possibly, owing to the action of competitors who may force upon the trader the adoption of a system which in his case • might not, otherwise, be justifiable

Heavy Loads and Trailers.

All who have to deal with the transport of heavy loads on the road ought to consider carefully the question of whether they can benefit by attaching trailers to their motor lorries. The heaviest types of motor lorry, if fitted with rubber tyres, may travel at eight miles an hour. The useful load carried at this speed may be in the neighbourhood of six tons. If road conditions are favourable, the engine power is probably sufficient to allow of an extra three tons being drayn in a trailer. The legal speed is thus reduced to five miles an hour, so that if we assume strict adherence to the law in the two cases, the lorry without the trailer can carry six tons over eight miles, making a total of 48 ton-miles of work done, while the same lorry with a trailer can carry nine tons over five miles, making a. total of 45 ton-miles of work done. Thus, if the law be observed, the addition of a trailer does not increase the working capacity of the vehicle, but rather tends to diminish it. On the other hand, on favourable roads it costs very little more per mile to deal with nine tons with the aid of a trailer than to deal with six tons without its assistance.

Supposing the total operating expenses of the lorry were 2s. a mile, then the addition of the trailer would probably only mean putting up the cost per mile by twopence, or threepenee. Thus the cost per hour would be considerably lower with the trailer than without it. In other words, the trailer combination gives considerable possibilities of economy, but not of increasing the working capacity of a fleet of rubbertyred vehicles. Whether it is worth while to try and secure the economy depends largely on whether speed is an important factor, or, in other words, on whether the exact time of delivery really matters.

Light Carriers.

In many retail trades, such that the. normal delivery work can best be performed by reasonably substantial motor vans, it may prove well worth while to keep also one or two quite light vehicles, either of the. trade carrier class, or else in the nature of light ,car chassis with small van bodies. The east of these vehicles may not neeessa'rily be justified on an or.clinary commercial basis by the amount of work they do. The idea is, in many eases, rather to give exceptionally prompt service to clients and so to develop business. If a tra.der, by keeping one or two fast light. vehicles, is able to oblige his customers by giving almost immediate delivery in cases of urgency, and if his competitors are not equipped to do the same,. then, other things being equal, he will certainly get the cream of the business. The actual cost of making specially prompt deliveries in special cases may seem excessive, but if the result is to secure numerous regular and-substantial orders which would otherwise have gone elsewhere, he is well justified. In such an instance, the light vehicles are therefore less in the nature of an essential part of the transport organization than of advertising expenditure, and as such they may, in a year or two, have such an effect upon the turnover of the business as to 'justify themselves many times over.

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