Training board chief shows the way with firm's drivers
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By John Darker
ATHOUGH many transport men regretted that the staffs of Clicensed operators were excluded from the purview of the Road Transport Industry Training Board, competition in the training field is surely to be welcomed.
The tedious delays in establishing a training board for professional road haulage were not experienced—or were surmounted more rapidly—in other industries.
The timber trade is undergoing a radical spring clean and it is exceptionally conscious of the value of productivity and :raining research. Judging by the en:husiasm with which Mr. Brian Latham, z.hairman of the Training Board for the Timber Industry, is implementing a driver trainng scheme in his own firm of James Latham Ltd., the RTITB will be kept up to the mark 3y the larger C-licensed operators.
Mr. Tom Jenkinson, transport manager of fames Latham Ltd., spoke about his firm's iriver training scheme to the TRTA (Eastern V(etropolitan) section on Wednesday. A dismssion with Mr. Jenkinson and a visit to Atham's impressive premises at Clapton, confinced me that specialist driver training for many raiders is essential.
Even if fully trained drivers were recruited, firm such as Latham's would feel it essential o provide an intensive instruction course for imber handling, and the driving of timber fries in itself demands a thorough briefing.
James Latham Ltd. was founded in Liverpool n 1757 but its main operations have been at an 8-acre site at Clapton, in East London, since 912. It is the proud holder of a Royal Warrant or timber supplies. The Clapton site is on the liver Lea and the imported plywood and timber ; offloaded from barges and stored or processed e fore sale. The scale of the operations can be magined from the fact that 32 barge loads of ilywood alone were offloaded in the nine days efore my visit.
The Latham business has been built up on the asis of quality and service and this is exmplified on the transport side where national overage is given. Deliveries to Scotland are lostly sub-contracted to professional road auliers but every other part of England and Vales is served regularly by the company's own eet of 20 vehicles, with the help, in addition, of iree Contract A-licensed hauliers operating 5 vehicles.
Most of the Latham fleet is articulated, with the .end towards the use of 30 ft. artics—vehicles rith so large a platform area provide greater exibility in the stowage of multiple deliveries f plywood and timber and they avoid dangerusly high loads.
Most of the trailers are loaded by shunters 'hose knowledge of the Clapton sheds and ,harfs and of London dockland in general is aturally comprehensive, but all drivers under le new training programme will be expected to imiliaiize themselves with the loading points the works. Provincial deliveries have been greatly improved by the employment of drivers based strategically at Grantham, Thetford, Southampton, Chippenham, Stevenage and High Wycombe. This allows an early start with preloaded artics and greatly increases fleet productivity.
The use of reliable drivers in the provinces has also contributed to the stability of the driving force. Mr. Jenkinson, in common with many transport managers, found that drivers prepared to spend several nights away from home were neither readily obtained nor retained. The "country" drivers have full authority to pay for the safe parking of their vehicles, and for their specialist delivery areas they soon acquire the kind of expertise indispensable in the timber trade.
Training officer Mike Cotton and Mr. Jenkinson have devised a driver training programme designed to be completed in five days. It supplements a reasonably thorough training plan which has operated for some years.
New drivers will be briefed on eight subjects:— Safety at work: correct and safe mechanical and manual handling and driving ability; the layout of the wharf; drivers' delivery note system; vehicle loading: completion of log sheets; recollection routine: and overnight parking.
Despite the increasing use of mechanical handling equipment—in timber handling—of which Lathams has an enviable variety-drivers arc instructed in the best use of leverage when this is called for. They are told to ensure that sets are bound tightly with ropes when crane loading is to be done, and warned to keep clear of sets while the crane is working. The importance of clear signalling to crane drivers is stressed and they are shown the best way of liaising with crane drivers to ensure that plywood or hardwood is landed safely on vehicle platforms.
With the aid of a perspective map, driven learn the general layout of the wharf so that they can familiarize themselves with frequent loading points; and special instruction is given on delivery note procedures.
A quality timber firm such as Lathams
Right: A typical loading scene at the James Latham yards where all kinds of mechanical handling devices aid loading.
Below: Though only 18 years old, Trevor Starke handles 30 ft. artic outfits with the confidence born of much practice in shunt driving around the extensive James Latham timber yards at Clanton.
cannot pay too much attention to the safe loading of vehicles. Each order must be tied into the load properly and the whole load must be adequately roped and sheeted, for the slightest damage through wet could give rise to a customer complaint. Mr. Jenkinson favours the use of plastic backed sheets, each of which is clearly marked with vehicle registration numbers, and regular checks are made to ensure that drivers have the correct number of sheets.
In addition to basic instruction, Latham drivers are given a useful introductory talk on the firm's history and the work done by the various departments, hardwood, plywood, softwood, mill and kiln, office and transport. They are also briefed on the works regulations which arc especially important where dangerous machinery is used and in a works where so much use is made of mechanical handling appliances.
The Latham premises are ideally suited for driver training. Roadway widths and corners are designed to accommodate all size of vehicles and any young driver "cutting his • teeth" on this enclosed site can count himself fortunate. The controlled use of premises such as Lathams for general driver training would, I understand, be given sympathetic consideration, though the financial arrangements would have to be agreed.
The training levy in the timber trade is calculated on the basis of 0.9 per cent of the payroll. "It's costing my department around £30 a month" said Tom Jenkinson. "We must make sure we get value for money. If training recreates the driver's pride in his vehicle it will be well worth while."