TRANSPORT TIPS FOR TRADESMEN.
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Particularly Addressed to Those Who are Replacing Horsed Vehicles by Motors, or Contemplating So Doing.
TH do E TYPE of van that may vrry well in one
trade will, quite probably, be far from ideal in another. Reference was made on this page recently, to the question of cubic capacity in connection with trades the goods of which are very light and bulky. It is equally important to give consideration to the character of one's custom.
Fitting the Vehicle to the Character of the Trade.
The man who deals in luxury goods, 'elicit have to be delivered to well-to-do people in high-classsdistriets, cannot be well served by a vehicle of shoddy appearance, however reliable the mechanism of that vehicle may. be. To put the matter crudely, it will not do to charge 20 guineas for something which other people can sell at 10 guineas, and then to deliver it in a van which looks as if one were doing trade with people who can only just afford to keep alive. If a trader who deals in exclusive articles at exclusive prices cannot afford to have a van which looks as if he were doing big business with fashionable people, he would be far better advised to employ a contractor who will make his deliveries in vans merely bearing the name of the owning firm and not of the firm whose goods are being carried. Customers who are willing to contribute to the rent and rates that have to be paid for premises in the most expensive districts, and who are impressed by the expensive decoration of showrooms; and the general tone of the attention they receive, will be equally. impressed by the style of the motor van. In such eases, the vehicles should be smart without being unduly ostentatious. We do not. want 'blatant. colouring and glaring advertisements. The impression to be conveyed is one of stylish but quiet opulence. The chassis must, of course, be thoroughly. reliable. The vehicle must, certainly, never be seen broken down, or the driver covered with oil and soot. Probably, in this class of trade' the deliveries are so light that the vehicle can best be based on the chassis of a private motorcar. -It may be Worthwhile to have slight modifications introduced in the way of changes in the gear ratio ealculatedzto prevent excessive speeds. For the rest, the attention should be focused mainly onsthebody. -This should be kept absolutely spick and span, and should. be of graceful shape, while providing sufficient accommodation. The firm's name should appear upon it, but not in too ostentatious a manner. If money has been spent in advertising to associate the name with • some sort of symbol or device, the name may be omitted altogether and only the deviee shown. Needless to say, the driver should be uniformed and should be both smart and courteous: Preferably the vehicle should be fitted with eleetaieelighting and starting equipment. In that ease, the engine can he stopped while deliveries are being made and restarted on the switch when it is desired' to proceed. In this way, we get the silence that ought always to be associated with service of the highest class. Admittedly in all this there is a strong element of snobbery. The articles delivered are no better b.ecause they come in an unnecessarily expensive vehicle. At the same time, we must recognise that the element of.snobbesv figures not inconspicuously in all businesses of this' class. The preprietor of the
• business himself may no be a snob, hut he is obliged to consider everything that will make people pay more or less exorbitant prices for things that they can buy cheaper elsewhere. Even the make of the vehicle is not unimportant in
each a ease, altogether regardless of the services it is able —to give. The average man thinks quite differently of a casual acquaintance who calls upon him in a Ford and another equally casual acquaintance who arrives in a Rolls-Royce. All this may be very regrettable' but it remains a fact, and it is for the trader, who to make his living out of profits secured from other people, to trade legitimately upon their, little weaknesses,
The Offer of Power Alcohol.
It is now fairly generally ..known that, by application to the Empire Motor Fuels Committee, a limited number ofauseis 01 motor vehicles May obtain supplies of power alcohol for experimental use under service conditions. Such experiment is not, however, to be recommended to those who are inexperienced.. in motor transport and have not thoroughly adequate facilities for the repair and maintenance of vehicles. Alcohol alone is, at present, but a poor substitute for petrol. In a petrol engine unadjusted and unaltered, it will give 'lower power. lower mileage, and may well lead to troubles ue to the action of the fuel con.ithe metal of the engine or to the accumulation of deposits:in the cylinders due ta the engine net being designed to use the fuel.
Even the London General Omnibus Co., with its magnifieent, organization for maintenance, found difficulties when it attempted to use not alcohol alone, but a. half and halfmixture of alcohol and benzole. Such a mixture is quite a practical proposition to the motor user who runs a number of vehicles and possesses a well equipped garage. We must remember, however, that the omnibus company' experienced trouble with deposits round about the inlet valves, and other troubles resulting from the action of the fuel on the metals of which the fuel tanks and inlet pipes were constructed. The latter difficulty wax overrome by lining the tanks and pipes with lead, the former by fairly frequent and regular examination and cleaning. The owner of a .single van possessing no more garage facilities than-the average owner of a private 'motorcar, would be well advised not to share in the experimental work on alcohol mixtures that must now' bee carried on. His time to benefit will come when the experiments are completed and the means, by which the fuel may be used without trouble, are clearly defined and easily applied.
Care of Vehicles in Garage.
The garaging of tradesmen's vehicles is of considerably greater importance than would appear at first sight. A congested-garage is one of the most prevalent causes of rapid deterioration in the appearance of body work. This, not only because careless drivers may damage the panels and wings of their own and other vehicles while moving into position, but also because, while doing, small repair jobs, the Mechanics are very apt to use the-running boards. and wings Of the other vehicles as tables for their tools. Also considerable timeimay be wasted owing to the necessity for moving out those vehicles at the front before those behind can be removed.
1/1Ihilst talking of , appearance, the ; importance of preventing such fuels as benzole from coming into contact with painted or varnished surfaces must be emphasized, as benzole is a powerful solvent which will quickly remove paint and varnish. For this reason, great care should be exercised when filling a tank with this fuel-, particularly if the tank be situated on the dashboard of a vehicle.