Ci At our university we are currently doing
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research into the valuation of commercial vehicles "saved" as a consequence of road improvement schemes. Of particular importance in this context is whether depreciation of commercial vehicles is a function of utilization and therefore dependent largely on mileage or a function of obsolescence either due to technical progress or to statutory change, i.e, plating regulations. Can you advise us?
AThe problem you raise is indeed a complex
one because much of the information on which such a decision is taken will be peculiar to individual operators and even the different flows of traffic of one operator.
In general, many operators would primarily base, their decisions to replace a vehicle on its mechanical condition. This, as you suggest. would be largely dependent on the extent to which it had been used or in other words, its mileage to date.
However, this basic decision is often qualified for a number of reasons. As you mentioned, the factor of obsolescence can enter into the decision. In the case of a seaside coach plying for private hire its attractiveness (which is partly related to age) could be an important factor affecting revenue. If so the operator might decide that, on balance, it was more economic to replace his coach although it might not be mechanically worn out.
Another cause of obsolescence is changes in Construction and Use Regulations, which have occurred fairly frequently in recent years whereby larger vehicles are permitted. Then. provided the larger loads are available, it would no longer be economic to operate the smaller vehicle for certain flows of traffic. Here again, vehicles might be replaced sooner than would otherwise be the case.
Although replacement of vehicles is understandably considered most frequently from the engineering point of view, the type of traffic carried also enters into the decision. The obvious example would be tippers used on construction work where damage might be high and mileage low.
Less obvious, but still affecting replacement, would be the urgency of the traffic carried, e.g. perishable traffic dependent on a timed arrival at a wholesale market. For a similar reason in a large fleet it is not unusual for a "middle-aged" vehicle to be demoted to less important work at a certain stage in its life. This common procedure confirms that the type of work undertaken by a vehicle as well as its mechanical condition can have a bearing on vehicle replacement. Regarding your comment as to the "saving" as a consequence of road improvement schemes. I suspect that in many cases the "saving" would only be a negative one in the sense that it would either reduce (but not remove) increasing delays due to traffic congestion or alternatively in the case of the motorways permit the operator to extend his radius of journey by travelling faster but not cheaper. In practice it might well be dearer. On balance, therefore, increased operating costs might be offset by increased revenue derived from the longer journeys.
When, however, one endeavours to quantify the several factors one has to accept some arbitrary decisions with the knowledge that what might be valid for one operator would not necessarily be so for another, even though he might be using similar vehicles.
QWhat would be the operating cost a
mile for a 7-ton tipper when averaging alternatively 200 or 400 miles a week and approximately how much lower would be the corresponding figures for a 5-ton tipper?
AAs shown in the new edition of the
Commercial Motor Tables of Operating Cost the operating cost per mile for the 7-ton tipper is: 200 miles a week, 50.23d: or 32.76d at 400 miles a week. For the 5-ton tipper. also fitted with diesel engine, the operating cost a mile would be approximately 10 per cent less.
0. A transport contractor operates a crane
hire service in conjunction with his business as a haulier. He has his own workshop and runs breakdown recovery vehicles on general trade plates.
Would it be illegal for him to use a vehicle on trade plates to convey crane jib sections, even if a C licence were attached to a plate?
AA general trade plate may be used on any vehicles in the holder's possession in the course of his business as a vehicle manufacturer, dealer or repairer, and for any purpose connected therewith.
It would not seem crane hire comes within "any purpose connected therewith" in relation to either a transport contractor or a motor agent. As a result it would not. in our opinion, be permissible. to convey crane jib section on a vehicle covered only by a general trade licence.
aWe plan to buy a new fleet of 3-ton vans
and have in our employment a large proportion of drivers under the age of 21. But we have been told that such drivers can only legally handle a vehicle with an unladen weight not exceeding 2 tons.
We have checked with the three local taxation offices in the Home Counties and have been given different answers on each occasion. Could you clarify the position, as although this new fleet is ordered the order has not yet been confirmed?
A The Road Traffic Act 1960, Section 97,
lays down that a driver of a "heavy motorcar" must not be under 21 years of age. Additionally, Section 253 defines a "heavy motorcar" as a vehicle with an unladen weight exceeding 3 tons.
Therefore, unless your proposed new vehicles with a carrying capacity of 3 tons have unusually heavy bodies it would be unlikely that their unladen weights would exceed 3 tons. If this assumption is correct, and your young drivers are 17 or more, they would be able to drive your new vehicles, rhe crankshaft of a diesel engine fitted to a tipper in my fleet was severely damaged because of shortage of oil, a number of journals being badly scored. Reconditioning the engine would not be worth while if it involved renewal of the crankshaft. I have heard of a specialist repairer of good repute who restores damaged shafts by metal spraying and grinding. Do you consider that this method is satisfactory? Would it, for example, enable the life of the engine to be extended by say, 60,000/ 70,000 miles of arduous work? The cost would be a fraction of the cost of a new shaft.
AYes, the latest metal spraying techniques
enable the journals of a crankshaft to be restored to their "original" condition. After spraying, the journals are machined to the standard size and standard bearings are used.
A crankshaft can fail through fatigue after prolonged running but this is unlikely in the case of a relatively modern engine unless it has run for many hundreds of thousands of miles. It would be pretty safe to assume, therefore, that the engine in question would complete 60,000/70.000 miles without risk of crankshaft failure.