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The Vindication of the Motorbus.

29th May 1913, Page 21
29th May 1913
Page 21
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Page 21, 29th May 1913 — The Vindication of the Motorbus.
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Fifth Set of Extracts from the Evidence of the Managing Director of the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd.—(Continued from page 250.)

Before leaving the question of the qualifications And training of drivers, Mr. Stanley finally drew attention to the penultimate stage, consisting of practical instruction at the garage, and then gave a summary of the training courses that have been adopted. The House of Commons Committee appeared to pay special attention hereanent.

Further Practical Instruction at the Garage.

Thisis not the end of instruction. The man then reports himself at his garage, and crimes under the control of the foreman driver attached to it. lie is placed with a driver who has had considerable experience. lie accompanies him and receives from him instructions in service conditions, learning the various routes upon which the motorbuses working in and out of that garage run, and the points or regular stoppingplaces on those routes. They alternately take up the driving, the new man benefitting under the direction of his more experienced fellow. This continues from four to seven days, and upon the report of the driver depends the time at which the new man is allowed to take a bus out on his own account.

Even after a man has been sent out in charge of a bus an experienced driver is told off to make journeys with him at intervals of a few days, and report to the garage superintendent as to his ability, so that in every way care is taken to ensure that drivers are as efficient for their task as it is possible for them to be. Eight men are exclusively engaged in this work at the present time.

Summary of Training Given.

To summarize these particulars, the course of time occupied in the preliminary training of a driver is over four weeks, and includes six days upon which technical instruction is given. Actual driving practice during this period would amount to 40 hours or five eight-hour days. On the completion of this, there are two further days upon which instruction is given in the mks and regulations, and almost another week in traffic details and conditions. The course extends to approximately five weeks, and for those who are lint quick at learning may extend to an even longer period, for suitable candidates are ;Mowed further courses as thought desirable.

The Use of the Streets for Training.

Two points upon this training deserve special notice :— 1. The training takes place in the streets.

It is clear that there is no other possible school which can give to the learner the right sense of his position or make him acquainted with the risks and dangers that are to be faced.

Remove the learners from the street and the liability to accident of the drivers is increased. You only shift the incidence.

Every care is taken to avoid risk and the user of the streets is carefully graduated both as to the traffic conditions in them and the degree of training of the learner.

Uniform Standard of Training.

2. The training is uniform in character.

To secure this the whole work of selecting and training men has been placed in the hands of one official. He is responsible both for the demonstrators at the class-rooms and the driver instructors.

From time to time this ;Alicia] makes it. his business to join the learners' buses and see for himself that the course is being carried through systematically.

All the class demonstration is given at one pointand to this point all the learners' buses come with their contingents. This brings together all the people engaged in the special work and by the exchange of ideas secures a common method and a common standard.

The Use of the Cinematograph for Educational Purposes. As a final note it may he mentioned that cinematograph demonstrations are made use of for the purpose of educating the staff. These demonstrations cover the common forms of acrident and how to avoid them. A lecture explanatory of the films is given at the same time.

As a matter of interest. two illustrations of the demonstras tion rooms at Grosvenor Read are included.

Method of Payment.

The allegations that the drivers are underpaid, or that the men are tempted to overdrive in order to get in more journeys and more mileage per day, are

refuted in the following particulars. Mr. Stanley was cross-examined on these, and he made it fully clear that the disciplinary rules of the company, as laid down and as carried out, render it impossible for any man to earn extra money by such overdriving. Any tendency in that direction, in point of fact, although it. cannot lead to the end which has been suggested, does result in a penalty for the men, either by way of suspension or even discharge.

Drivers are paid at an agreed rate for every mile that they run with a motorbus in ordinary passenger service. Every driver taking up a day's duty has a scheduled mileage to perform in accordance with the service requirements of the route upon which he works. A driver cannot exceed his scheduled mileage, and he may not complete it within less than the time allowed according to the time-table established for the given route,

Reasons for Adopting a Mileage Rate of Payment.

Mileage is the natural basis for accounting the work done in operating motorbuses. All expenses such as _for tires or petrol are measured out in this way, and it was an obvious method, therefore, to apply to determine wages. All records tend to be kept on a mileage basis.

At the time when motorbuses commenced to work, there were other considerations which weighed with those who determined upon this system of payment. The principal among them was the unreliability of the motorbus and the absence of a check upon the carelessneee or wilfulness of a driver. With, recent improvements, both of machines and of men, this factor has become much less important, except for its disciplinary effect, The motorbus still remains a piece of mechanism which is open to abuse and which may be kept more constantly at work, if treated fairly and without undue strain when in service, and if little adjustments not serious in themselves are made speedily. It is also a piece of mechanism which needs to be closely watched and its condition reported from day to day. When the earning capacity depends on maintaining the efficiency of the motorbus. there is some incentive to the driver to attend to all these matters. It needs less supervision to secure good results.

Timing of a Route the Critical Question.

It is not possible to criticise this method of payment from the point of view of causing accidents, as clearly it all turns upon the time which is allowed for the working of a given route, and whether it is ample or not, or whether it is checked sufficiently et' not by timekeepers. These questions are dealt with in a later part:

Classes of Drivers.

There are three classes of drivers, arranged according to inigth of service. The mileage rate of pay increases in amount for each class.

3rd Class, under 6 months service (one star), 1.15d, per mile.

2nd Class, from 6-12 months service (two stars), 1.20d. per mile.

1st Class, over 12 months service (three stars), 1,25d. per mile, Bonus Scheme Prior to 1st January, 1915.

Certain drivers, chiefly of the first class, received, ,prior to 1st January, 1913, in addition a bonus of 3d, per day, if the scheduled mileage for the day was completed without accident for which they could he held to blame. This bonus was granted to servants of the company of two years standing; a servant of two years standing, on transferring into the grade of driver from another grade, received the bonus although riot of the first class and without experience in driving extending to two years. From a week's figures taken out in October last, it was found that 90 per cent. of the drivers eligible (1592) earned this bonus.

Present Bonus Scheme.

It was thought that this limited bonus system might hare some effect in reducing the number of accidents by affording additional inducement to the men to avoid them. Accordingly on the 1st January, it was extended to all drivers on the following terms ;— A daily bonus of 2d. to all drivers completing their full scheduled mileage for the day without accident for which they can in any way be held to blame.

An additional quarterly bonus of 14s.. to the best drivers up to 5 per cent, at each garage, and of 10s, up to the

next 5 per cent. Of the latter bonuses, two are specially reserved for spare drivers. By best is meant the driver obtaining the greatest number of delft bonuses.

An adjustment has been made in the rate of par to cornpeneate the older bonus drivers for the reduction in rate from 3d. to 2d. )1.26d. per mile.)

This bonus scheme has now beenin operation for a full period of three months, and has given results which exceed the basis upon which it was framed.

Many more drivers qualified for the quarterly bonus than could be covered by the 10 per cent., so that it is again under consideration for readjustment.

Standing-by Payments.

A further note to complete the scheme of payments. Drivers taking up duty are paid at the rate of 6d. per hour for standing by in cases where the motorbus is held up in the garage or on the road in consequence of breakdown for which he is riot to blame. Payment under this head is in the discretion of the garage superintendent.

A Week's Pay Arranged.

The following table shows the effect of these various methods of payment for the week ending 9th April, 1913, in relation to the time spent at work:—

Number and Length of Service of Drivers Employed.

At the 31st March, 1913. a statement was prepared showing the length of service of all men employed as drivers. It is as follows :

Conductors.

for employment as conductors, the course of training Six pages of the evidence concern the qualifications

for these men, their rates of payment, and their lengths of service. Whilst the conductors are no doubt in part responsible for the care of the public who use the vehicles, and whilst they may also in

some cases have the duty imposed upon them of warning other users of the highway, we do not consider this section of the evidence of sufficient direct value to reprint it. It is clear that a good system of selection exists.

Accident Club.

The following details concern the company's accident club, and information with regard to its functions will no doubt be read with much attention. The points are at least valuable as a record, in that they show that the contributions which are set out do not meet the outgo, and that the company has to keep the club in funds—or indebted to it. The financial position of this club formed the basis of various questions by members of the committee, and we confess that we do not ourselves exactly follow why there was a " share out ". at the end of 1912. having regard to the, indebtedness to the company. Apart from tide feature, the scheme is one that we like in principle. The London General Omnibus Co. have made a practice of, in effect, fining their drivers awl conductors to blame for acciderie, the tines having relation to the amount of the damage caused by the accident within a fixed limit. This practice may have been suggested by the provisions of section 28 of the London Hackney Carriage Act, 1843, but is not leeeed on this Act hut upon an agreement with the men. it was open to the company to dismiss nice involving it in the payment of damage. As the consequences of dismissal are iif serious import to men enraged in an occupation involving the keeping up ef a licence as a. condition precedent to their being allowed to follow it, the company have to some extent waived their right and instituted what. is a practice of fines.

To protect themselves against the incidence of these fines tile men employed in these capacities by the Lontlen General Omnibus Co. have formed a club. The present club which is the successor to previous examples, having a history extending back over 40 years, was formed in 1908 at the time of the amalgamation.

Management of Club.

The Club has a committee. elected by the men themselves and representing each garage, and the committee again elect their secretaries (three in nu.mber) from among the men to act for the club in the conduct of its business. The company takes no part in the management or control of the club. Membership of the club is in effect compulsory : that is. the company do not employ persans in the rapacity of driver or conductor who do not express their willingness to conform to the club rules and sign the form of acceptance.

Contributions to and Payments by Club.

The contributions payable to the club are 2d. per day by every driver for each day that he works and id. per day by every conductor. Those amounts are deducted by the company from the pay roll for each week. There is further an e.ntiernee fee of 1s.

It, will be noted that by agreement with the company, the liability is limited to Lg. The proeeduri is for claims for damage to property not apparently exceeaing EB in amount to be transferred to the club direct and settled by them, but when the claim exceeds E8 or relates to personal injury it is settled by the company, subject to the company's right ta recover 28 from tho club if it so elects.

Further, one-fourth of the amount paid by the club in discharge of ally claim is recoverable from the member reeponsible for the accident giving rise to the claim, at the discretion of the club secretaries.

Claims arising out of injury to the person are not left to the club. In settling claims arising out of damage to property the club acts as agent for the company, but the correspondence is conducted sometimes in the name of the club and sometime in the company's name. There is no rule

as to this. It exercises a like discretion as the company in settling claims, preferring to settle more often than to risk the uncertain issue of a contest,

Practice of Club.

This is the principle upon which the club is constituted 7 the practice differs somewhat. In point of fact the company receives only a proportion of the sums this to it in respect of the claims for injury or damage, and the funds standing to the credit of the club at the close of each year are shared out to the members in accordance with the rules.

The club also takes part in any prosecution affecting itsmembers, supplying legal assistance and paying the fines.

Effect of Existence of Club on Men.

An important point to note is the small amount spent by the club on fines. 194 cases were submitted to it by members, and of these 153 were refused under the rule (No. 5) which

relieves the club from responsibility if the member be to blame himself. The £42 may therefore be looked upon as disbursements to innocent members to defray expenses attendant upon prosecutions. In no sense can the club be considered to have acted as a shield to its members from the consequences of ail infringement of the law.

The existence of the club must have a salutary effect on the

men in deterring them from accident, as the consequences of accident serve to deplete the funds available for the share out, although the company by not insisting upon their strict right to contribution may be 4)ensined to have weakened this effect. In point of fact the club is always insolvent..

The club is in no way disciplinary and does not serve to relieve the company of any responsibility in connection with accidents. The discipline of the staff is carried out apart from any consideration of the effect of the club in fining its members, although this is a. contradiction of the basis upon which the club is constituted.

It is questionable whether it is desirable to encourage an insurance against the consequences of accident as teeding to relieve the men of the necessity for extreme care. The insurance of vehicles against damage arising out of accident is admittedly one factor in spreading carelessness among the drivers.

Prosecutions.

Some interesting points connected with the class of prosecution may be gathered from the following extract.

From time to time prosecutions of the drivers and conductors are undertaken by the police or by other pasties, such as tramway undertakings and public bodies.

The criminal law has innumerable specind provisions which affect drivers and conductors as a class. Theeare scattered in many Acts of Parliament and Statutory Orders. It. would he a matter of ereat convenience if they were collected together and standardised, particularly as the penalties attaching to them are not in any way systematic.

Particulars on these subjects have been supplied to your Committee by other witnesses, in particular the number of prosecutions have been put in by the police.

Prosecutions Personal to the Staff Concerned.

The company has not found it possible to keep a complete record of the prosecutions of its servants, and on this account has abandoned the attempt, as s partial record would have operated unjustly.

A prosecution is deemed to be a personal matter of the driver or conductor concerned. The summons is in most cases served upon him direct, and the company receives no official notice of the fact. The penalty for the offence is exacted by a Court of Justice, and further penalty for the same offence does not seem to be justified. This is a further reason for letting the record of eech matters pass, It may be pointed out that the magistrates have power to suspend or endorse the motor driving licence under which the men are able to carry on their employment. If they, therefore, do not take this step, it must he because they cannot consider the offence brought to their notice sufficiently serious. The company may, therefore, he excused continuing such men in their employment.

It may further be pointed out that there can be no endorsement for excess of a speed limit fixed by the Heavy Motor Car Order, unless in the case of a third offence.

Meier the Landon _Hackney Carriage Act, 1843, by a special provision it was the practice to issue the summons against the company calling upon it to produce such and such a man its servant. This was disadvantageous as it made it awkward for the company to carry out the order where the servant had absconded or been dismissed. Under this practice the company became advised of what proceedings occurred.

IL is thought that it would be of value to the company if there was a greater measure of co-operation in this matter with the police, and notice were given of every summons issued against its servants.

Health of the Staff.

Two pages of the book of evidence deal with the health of the drivers and conductors. The data show that this is very satisfactory, and that "a cold " is the chief source of illness. Nervous diseases and consumption are very rare indeed, whilst heart complaint is entirely absent. The company, in its whole records, has only 10 eases of nervous breakdown, dating over a long term of years.

Constructional.

There is no occasion, in the pages of TEE Coat MERCIAL MOTOR, to enter fully into constructional features. The first-published descriptive articles on the B-type chassis and its manufacture appeared in this journal. We feel, none the less, that the extracts which we do publish present a concise summary ; this may be welcomed by the many thousands of new readers who have been added to our circulation since the beginning of the year.

Brief Specification of "B" Type Engine

and Chassis.

OF Cisessts.—The weight of the latest " B " type chassis is between 2 tons 8 cwt. and 2 tons 10 cwt.

ENGINE. —The engine has four cylinders cast in pail's; bore 110 mm.; stroke 140 Tnni. The horse-power developed at 750 revolutions is about 28. This is the normal running speed.

Coorxec.—The cooling is by means of a vertical tubular radiator, consisting of two bronze plates fitted with 450 copper tubes, with tanks above and below, behind which is a fan driven from the engine.

Cserree.-The clutch is of the cone type, leather, operating direct on a steel flywheel.

Unsrosox.—The gearbox is of the silent chain type, fitted with three speeds in the forward directions and one in the reverse direction. The reverse only is operated by spur gear.

FRONT AXLE.This is a solid drop forging of high-grade steel, to which arc fitted the ewivels carrying the road. wheels. All wheels rim on plain bearings by means of floating bushes.

RICK AXLE.—The back axle is what is known as a live axle. The consists of a worm drive of a gear ratio of 7.5 to 1. The sseine of the axle is of high-grade cast steel, into which is securely pressed two steel tubes of high-grade material. On the ends of these tubes are hardened sleeves on which the wheels run.

UNDERFRA ME. —This is made of armoured wood. The flitch plates on either side are of nickel steel, in. thick. The wood is beet English ash in one piece. CROSS:WEIRDER& —These are also of armoured wood, with the exception of those carrying the engine, which are of nickel steel, channel section.

ROAD WIIEELS, —The road wheels are of high-grade tubular cast. steel. The front wheels are fitted with tires 900 mm. diameter by 120 mm. section. The rear wheels are fitted with twin tires 1000 mine diameter by 100 mm. Section.

SPRINGS. —The eatrinas are of the laminated type, of hlels grade material, and an auxiliary or volute spring in addition is now being fitted. This volute spring comes into operation after about 75 per centof the normal load is taken up by the laminated springs. This is done to ensure a better riding bus. Dia V3)II; E AR. —Th is consists of a steering wheel for the hands ; a hand brake and a change gear lever to be operated by the right hand; the clutch, the accelerator and a brake operated by means of a pedal. There =5 also a hern for the purpose of giving warning. aka-Er-ERA-floss—The acceleration is controlled by pedal only. FRONT AXLE AND 6TEERING,—The front axle consists of a solid drop forging, having its ends forked to receive the swivel or stub axles which carry the road wheels. These swivel axles are pivoted in the forks by vertical pins. Attached to the inner end of each is a horizontal lever. These levers are connected together by a cross connection rod. The offside lever is extended and brought round again into line with the axle. The steering box, which is securely bolted to the main frame, contains a fixed worm or screw rotated by the steering wheel. Threaded on the screw is a nut, and the effect of turning the screw is to raise or lower the nut, Recessed into the nut are slotted discs. In the slots the vertical arms of a horizontal cross shaft are fitted, on the outer end of which is rigidly fixed a vertical lever. As the nut moves up or down SO the lower end of this lever moves forward or backward. The lower end of this lever is connected by a horizontal rod with the end of the lever attached to the offside stub axle.

STEErtriso-Ron CoNNEerroNs.—The steering-rod ends, i.e., the part where the connecting rods are joined to the eteevizie levers, were originally made up of two cup-shaped pieces bolted together, one on either side of the steering-lever ball. Thia design, though serviceable, allowed a certain amount of rattle, even when new, and when wear took place between the cups and the ball (partly owing to the bolts sleeking off) a. space developed between them, and as the cups were a fixed distance apart vibration caused further rattling and noise, as well as shocks on the connections. The only means of reducing this slackness was by taking apart the steering rods and readjusting the cups, so as to bring them up against the ball again.

The new steering-rod end which has replaced the above is made up of two cups as before, one of which is held. up against the ball by a stiff spring, preventing rattle when new, and when wear takes place the spring presses the cups together and holds them up against the ball. These 'springs, by acting as buffers, also have the effect of lessening shocks in the connections. In this way a self. adjusting, shock-absorbing joint is obtained_

BRAKES—There aro two independent setts of brakes fitted, one set operated by hand, the other by pedal. Both these set e of brakes work upon drums bolted direct to the rear wheels, the drums being separate. By this means-, the braking stresses are not taken through the transmission gear, and there ie this further advantage that, should any fracture of the transmission gear occur or ehould it become inoperative. this does not in any way affect the efficiency of the brake. Each set of brakes consists of a pair of expanding shoes operated by means of came connected by rods or levers to the operating pedal or hand lever respectively, suitable compensatine gear being arranged. The brakes, comply with the regulations set out in the Notice to Proprietors, and exceed those requirements in that both Sete are independent of the transmission gear, and not only one. SEATING ARRANGEMENTS wins DIMENSIONS.

The body seats 16 passengers arranged longitudinally in the interior, and 16 passengers arranged transversely in pairs on the top on what are termed "garden seats."

Weight of Chassis and Body Complete Fully Laden.

The weight of the B type motorbus is within the weight laid down by the police under clause B of the Notice to Proprietors., which reads as follows:—

Weight.—Oronibuses must be so constructed that the following maxima of weight are in no case exceeded :—

Unladen ... 3 tons 10 cwt. Or if the manufacturers prefer—

Back axle weight laden ... 4 tons Front axle weight laden 2 tons Total weight laden not to exceed 6 tons, when the vehicle is fully laden and in every respect ready for service, 144 lb. to be allowed for each passenger.

If the weight is not distributed in the proportion of two-thirds to bear upon rear axle, it mu.st be so arranged or distributed that undue weight. is not thrown upon the front, nor must the maximum of 6 toes be in a n y case exceeded.

Centre of Gravity of Motorbus.

The height of the centre of gravity of a fuilydoaded bus above the surface of the road is 5 ft. 31's in., and of an empty bus 3 ft. 9i in. The angle to which the bus may be tilted sideways without toppling over is, under fully-loaded condition. 26 degrees 44 minutes. The worst conditions for a test of this kind would he with the top only fully-loaded and the conductor on top. Under these conditions the angle is 26 degrees 33 minutes, or wily very slightly les.s. A motorbus in complete working order, but empty, may be tilted to an angle of 35 degrees 57 minutes.

Turning Circle.

The turning radius el a motorbus at full lock, that is turning as sharply as is possible, is 18 ft. 6 in. on the inner side, and 29 ft on the outer side,

Overhang of a Motorbus.

Various points have been raised in this connection, and they are dealt with here under three conditions. First,—With both wheels flush with the kerb and a road of normal camber; theit the projectious over the pavement are

Hub cap, front wheel ... 411s in. Hub cap, rear wheel .. 2gin.

Side guard rails on top .. ... 7 in.

If the camber is increased to the maximum permittea, then the overhang of the top of the bus at its v idest point extends to 10 in.

Second.—Where the bus is pulling out from the kerb from the first position. In this case the swing of the bus causes the platform to project over the kerb to a maximum of 8 in,

Third.—Where the bus is backed up against the kerb until both the rear wheels are in contact with it. In this ens_• the overhang is 6 ft. 9 in It seems almost needless to remark that buses in actual working do not approach close to the kerb, but preserve as far as passible a distance of 18 in. at the least, and that in any ease buses do not back up against the kerb. These various figures are of moment only in the case of bad skidding. It may be noted that by the adoption of a new pattern of hub caps, the amount of projection has been reduced by about 3 in. The existing hubs do not project so much as do those of an ordinary horse-drawn vehicle.


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