OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.
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The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial ntotors. Letters should be on one side 01 the paper only and typewritten by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted,
Freight Exchanges: Are They Useful?
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL, MOTOR.
[1965] Sir —I am always' interested in the writings of your contributor " The Skotch," and his articles are usually very entertaining and edifying, but, when-. ever he touches on the question of freight exchanges, he goes astray, and it is perfectly obvious to me that he has been misinformed. If only he would honour me with a call at this office I am quite sure I could quickly disabuse his mind somewhat. I will offer bim every facility, and the whole of the books, etc., of my freight exchange shall be at his disposal. Now, I regret having to admit that there is quite a number of so-called freight exchanges that are a disgrace to the transport industry. So many individuals flew at the job, thinking that transport experience was quite unnecessary, and, to make matters worse, so many lorry owners similarly lacking in experience dealt with them, and the two togather have made for themselves a state of chaos, but both parties are, as a necessary corollary, falling out at a. rapid rate.
However, that is no justification for decrying all freight exchanges and elea.ringshouses,. and I respectfully submit that no useful purpose is served in so doing. I say, without fear of contradiction from any reliable haulage contractor, that freight exchanges are absolutely essential for other than local work, and traders certainly take that view. Moreover, I contend that they are an unqualified success when oroperly conducted. If" The Skotch " imagines that provincial hauliers can enter London and, vice versa, London hauliers go into the provinces, assured of a regular return loadwithout the assistance of a freight exchange, he is greatly mistaken. I say emphatically it is impossible. I fear he is confusing freight exchanges with his suggestions to hauliers for local work. I certainly agree that it is right, in fact preferable, for hauliers to canvass traders direct for local work, but any reputable haulier fully realizes, in fact is the first to agree, that a reputable freight exchange is absolutely essential for work other than local.
" The Skotch" writes: "The chances that on a certain day of a certain month a load and an empty lorry will both be desirous of traversing the same route are nothing like so favourable as what many might expect, etc., etc." He is entirely wrong. I can prove to him that 99 per cent, of the drivers reporting daily to us from the provinces are reasonably satisfied, and it often astonishes me how well it works, but freight exchanges cannot be worked entirely with incoming lorries; it is necessary also to utilize local lorries with outward loads. By employing the two bauliers, traders' requirements are satisfactorily met. "The Skotch " also talks of "enormous organization and intelligence departments, etc." This is quite unnecessary, because there is no reason why all the exchanges should be under one control; in fact, every reason why they should not be so. The n way is for a separate organization in each town. He' also talks of the haulier 'saying two commissions, but this is the first I have heard of that. The exchanges I know only charge one commission, viz. 10 per cent, and, so far as my company is cencerned, that is off customers' rates and; incidentally, we have no "return load " rates. The rates are the same whether the traffic be conveyed on a provincial or a London lorry, but certain hauliers are as much responsible for the " return load " rata idea as anyone.
He also says that "The clearing house is usually
established in connection with the local Chamber ol Commerce," but I think I am correct in saying that in only one case is that so, and that is certainly not a house of disrepute. No good purpose is served simply by pointing out the conspicuous faults of the minority and applying the remarks to the majority. The proof of the pudding, etc. Why are we absolutely inundated with lorries for loads, particularly from London contractors, if we, as "The Sketch" suggests, are useless?----Yours faithfully,
WALTER GAMMONS, LTD. WALTER GAMMONS, Managing Director.
Ackerman Steering for Trailers.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1966] Sir,—In a recent issue of one of your contemporary journals, we have noticed an incorrect statement relating to the use of Ackerman steering on trailer vehicles, which, we feel, in the interests of motor vehicle users, calls for correction.
This statement was to the effect that the Ackerman system of steering possesses pronounced defects and is only used on motor vehicles because it permits of building such vehicles lower than would be the case were they fitted with a turntable. As a matter of fact, the Ackerman system of steering has been proved to give very much better tracking than the turntable system permits, in addition to which it is much more readily controlled, requires far less effort to deflect and, for this reason, calls for less tractive effort than any other form. The reason suggested for its adoption, namely, that it does not require such a high clearance as is necessary with a turntable, applies with equal force to a trailer as to a motor vehicle, since it permits of an appreciably lower platform level ,• moreover, a substantial saving in weight is effected by its use. It is very much handier when detached from the lorry, since a vehicle fitted with it can be moved about and controlled with ease by two men, as we know from practical experience.
True, it does not provide such a small lock as the turntable, but a trailer can be made on the Ackerman principle which turns in a much smaller radius than any lorry, which, after all, is what is necessary. It is under complete control when it is required to back the whole outfit by means of the lorry, which cannot be said of the turntable construction.
Without going into further detail we would point out that the trailer business in the United States, which is of enormously greater magnitude than exists in this country, confines itself almost entirely to vehicles having Ackerman steering. Are we to suppose that all the Erns concerned are labouring under a delusion I We think that when the matter is considered from this point of view it will be agreed that the statement is not supported by facts. The turntable system of steering no doubt has its uses and. in certain eases it may be that the balance of advantage is in its favour, but there is a marked tendency at the present time, even in vehicles where the turntable can conveniently be introduced, to change to the Ackerman system of steering, and we feel that, as trailer manufacturers who have, after careful consideration and many tests, adopted Ackerman steering as our standard, it is not fair to ourselves or to the users of Ackerman-steered vehicles that misleading statements such as the above should pass without correction. Those statements did not appear in The Commercial Motor.—Yours faithfully,
R. C. WARREN AND CO., LTD. R. C. WARREN, Director. 041