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IN YOUR OPINION

5th February 1965, Page 119
5th February 1965
Page 119
Page 119, 5th February 1965 — IN YOUR OPINION
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liesels Mean Dollars and Sense

7NOWING your interest in the experience of American

truck lines with the new breed of lightweight diesel agines (as evidenced by your articles in recent months) I in pleased to inform you that diesels mean dollars and mse to Hennis Freight Lines. We are one of our nation's iggest motor carriers, with gross revenues in 1964 topping 45 m.

We have learned by experience that diesel engines in )cal pick-up and delivery service can result in substantial tvings, as much as cutting the cost-per-mile by more than ) per cent.

Last summer, we undertook a comparative study ivolving 15 P and D vehicles powered by petrol engines rid 21 similar diesel vehicles—half of them produced by a ritish company, F. Perkins Ltd. To make certain the ..sults would be comparable, the trucks had identical ages, ear ratios and body styles, and operated over similar

The petrol vehicles covered 417,519 miles and consumed 5,975 gallons of fuel. This averaged out to 6.23 miles er gallon. Maintenance expenses, covering repairs as well ; regular preventive service, and fuel costs added up to 7.391 for the petrol fleet. This figured out to a cost per die of S0.0177.

The diesel vehicles covered 453,219 miles during the one period, consuming 44,715 gallons of fuel. This veraged out to 1014 miles per gallon. Combined fuel and taintenance costs for the diesel fleet were $3,911 or $00086 er mile.

Thus, our diesels covered 35,700 more miles than the etrol vehicles, but for $3,480 less. The diesel units averaged !most four more miles per gallon in fuel consumption— and that becomes very important when a company records some 2 m. miles a year.

Yes, diesels do mean dollars and sense to Hennis Freight Lines. And to prove it, we have just taken delivery of 50 new diesel P and D vehicles.

JACK MARTIN, director, Hennis Freight Lines, Inc., U.S.A.

In the Name of Progress

IN your issue of January 22 a Rochdale councillor is I reported as complaining that diesel-buses are slow on hills and asks what can be done about it. In Reading we have vehicles which accelerate very rapidly, climb hills fast, are silent and emit no poisonous fumes. They are called trolleybuses. Many other places in England used to have them too, but have changed over to the diesel in the name of progress—a much abused word. No doubt one day the same kind of progress will come to Reading.

The chairman of Rotherham transport committee is reported as saying that to do away with their trolleybuses would save a lot of money in replacement of wiring. He omitted to say that it would cost about £84,000 to buy the replacement diesels which last at the most just over half as long as a trolleybus—not to mention the waste of equipment by no means worn out. In Russia, incidentally, they are building trolleybuses as fast as they can. I suggest that the chairmen of transport committees which still operate them should pay a visit to Moscow and see for themselves.

Reading, Berks. KENNETH WOODS, Southern Counties Car Services.

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People: JACK MARTIN
Locations: Reading, Moscow

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