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11,4_ PUBLIC service vehicle operator, applying to the East Midland Traffic Commissioners for excursion licences for Whitsun, August Bank Holiday, etc., revealed a remarkable state of affairs in regard to the services he was conducting.
He explained that he worked in a factory and, at the same time, managed to operate a regular workmen's bus service. He drove the vehicle to the works each morning and parked it there while on duty in the factory. The object of the excursion licence was to permit him to take parties to the seaside at holiday week-ends, remain there for a week himself and then bring the people back to the industrial area. By this Means he contrived to combine his own journeys and domestic arrangements with the operation of public services.
CHARTS showing the class of sparking plug recommended for specific types and makes of engine have a useful value in aiding the operator to choose the plug which will give the best results. Such charts are regularly issued by the AC-Sphinx Sparking Plug Co., Ltd., which has displayed commendable enterprise in printing its latest edition in 10 different languages.
u18 IN Mr. Ricardo's view the present type of high-speed oil engine, used in batteries, will become more or less a standardized form of power plant. This is bffcked by the design of the recent German "pocket battleship." In this case there are 36 comparatively small Diesel cylinders forming the propulsion system and 48 other Diesels for auxiliary work. This represents an enormous saving in weight and space as compared with the few and much larger units generally employed.
IN •a paragraph published recently in one of the daily papers reference was made to the advantage of painting yellow lines on the road surface, as these show up more clearly in fog than do white lines. This, however, is by no means a new suggestion, as it was put forward in The Commercial Motor 1n July, 1929.
RAPID progress in the design of oil engines has put gas producers rather in the shade. Even in France, in spite of much official encouragement, War Department subsidies, remission of taxes, etc., the number of makes on the market has dropped from nearly a dozen to four or five.
This is all to the good of the industry, however, as It has meant a survival of the fittest and the remaining gas appliances are really useful machines, capable of giving excellent service. Apart from official encouragement in the home country, the manufacture of French gas-producers is likely to be continued owing to their value in certain parts of the French Colonial Empire.
France possesses vast areas of undeveloped territory overseas where petrol and even suitable fuel oils are costly, and often almost unobtainable. Wood fuel, on the other hand, can be had in these countries merely for the chopping.
A MAN recently applied for a situation with a bus company and was taken out for a test. He acquitted himself creditably and was feeling sure of the job, when they passed the local market ball. "Can you see the time, mate?" asked the inspector. He could not, so he bent over the steering wheel to get a view of the clock. `,` That's done you," he was told, "we have no use for a man who takes his eyes off the traffic." This seems an unfair test, as a driver on trial might, to oblige an official, do things that he would not risk when he had a load of passengers onboard.
ONE of our readers who is well known in road transport circles points out that whilst various attempts have been made to coin an effective slogan for road-transport interests, there has been no general adoption of any particular phrase, although the needs of the time are such that all parties should -get together, with a view to selecting something that can be used universally. It would be advisable, also, he suggests, that the.goods and passenger sides of the industry should have separate slogans. In America, that which is widely adopted for the goods industry is " ship by truck," but he thinks we could do better than that in this country. We would welcome suggestions from our other readers.