OPINIONS and
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QUERIES
[4956] Two items of recent news are of particular interest to those affected by wage awards—the evidence given before the Government committee of inquiry by various bodies of C-licence holders ; and the statistics just issued by the Ministry of Transport.
First, with regard to the evidence, it does not appear to have been appreciated by Parliament, when the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, was under consideration, that there were ancillary users, apart from tradesmen, making house-to-house deliveries, whereas in fact there is a large body of this class of user operating lorries on lines comparable in all respects with professional hauliers, except in respect of the ownership of the goods carried,
There is no demand on the part of any responsible person that the first class should be bound by any wage award that might be made in the road-transport industry; but what is claimed is that where two men are employed on similar work under similar conditions it is indefensible to apply a rigid scale of wages to one and not to the other, merely because one is operating under an A licence and the other under a C licence. Surely, in fairness to the men, they should be entitled to similar scales of wages. However, I feel that it is more to the National Joint Conciliation Board's scales and conditions that the C-licence holders are objecting, than to the payment of fair wages.
If the National Board's scales he fair wages within the meaning of the Act (which at least one court has said is not the case), what is the objection of C-licence holders of the second class to being bound by them? If they be unfair, then their objections are justified and merely confirm what A and B licensees have claimed for the past two years.
The solution of the difficulty does appear to be in the creation of a fourth class of licence, category D for delivery vans belonging to tradesmen for house-to-house or retail delivery of only their own goods. In this category might come, as of right, tradesmen's vans of special type, such as milk vans, greengrocers' vans, mobile shops and so on—vehicles which are not readily capable of being used for other than their ostensible purpose. Tradesmen who operate standard types of van and lorry might be granted this licence on satisfying the Licensing Authority that the vehicle was to be confined to retail delivery of the operators' own goods.
n26 In this category of licence there might well be exemption from the provisions of Section 1E+ and from the necessity of keeping records, and the wages and conditions should be decided by the trade in which the vehicle is used.
In the case of the remainder of the present C-licence group, the wages and conditions should be as for A and B holders, i.e., fair wages.
Now, to revert to the Ministry of Transport statistics, it is shown that throughout the country about 73/ per cent, of A-licence and 95 per cent, of B-licence holders own one or two vehicles. It is a fact that in the vast majority of these cases the vehicles are owner-driven or are family or partnership concerns where no wages award can apply or be enforced. This leaves such an award applicable to only 26-4 per cent. of A and 5 per cent. of B operators, surely stressing the imperative requirement that this small minority of employeroperators should not be penalized by the imposition of unfair wage scales and conditions of employment which they would find impossible of maintenance in the face of such great competition. In this regard " fair wages" means fair to both employers and employees.
In the meantime, the industry awaits the report of the Government committee of inquiry.
"YARMOUTH HAULAGE PRICES."
[4957] Having noted a paragroph under the above heading in your issue dated December 18, I am puzzled with the tenders of Mr. D. Yaxley, Junr., and Harbord's Motor Garage, Ltd., and would be very pleased if you could enlighten me on the following points :— What is Mr. D. Yaxley, Junr., committed to with his 1-ton lorry for 16s. per day? What is the average mileage covered, for this sum? How many hours willthis lorry work for it?
Has the lorry to be provided with waterproof cover? Has Mr. Yaxley ever heard of The Commercial Motor Operating Costs Record? Does Yarmouth Corporation insist upon contractors paying union rate of wages?
The same remarks apply to Harbord's Motor Garage, Ltd.
For many years my hobby has been magic and until recently I was a member of "The Leeds Magic Circle," but after reading what contractors in Yarmouth are able to do I realize that I have much to learn, JOSEPH THORNTON, Traffic Manager. Leeds, 6.
[We have no further details of the work to be done, and suggest that those who have submitted the tenders in question might like to reply personally to the points raised by this correspondent. It is a fact that many municipal authorities are unfortunately adding greatly to the difficulty of obtaining reasonably profitable rates for haulage work or the hire of vehicles.—E.]
RAILWAY " CO-ORDINATION " AGAIN!
(4958] A few days ago we sent 11 ton of shop fittings from London to Fleetwood Docks, and at the time of writing the goods are 'lying in a garage near Fleetwood because the L.M. and S. Railway Co. flatly refuses to allow the lorry to enter its dock premises to deliver the goods to one of its shop tenants. This railway maintains that all goods must enter the said docks on railwayowned vehicles ; in other words, no road-borne goods can be admitted.
To overcome the immediate difficulty we have railed the goods from a railway station near Fleetwood, but we have no intention of taking this effrontery lying down, whatever attitude may be taken up by the senders and/or consignees of the goods under notice.
However, can you tell me, please, if the company is acting within its rights in refusing permission for the said lorry to deliver goods to one of its tenants? I am, of course, presuming that the tenants have not entered into an agreement to receive all their goods by rail, seeing that no such instructions were issued to our London customer, i.e., the supplier of the goods.
Incidentally, this customer would have sent one of his own lorries had there been A-full load, seeing that his men have to erect the fittings, and presumably in that case his lorry, men and fittings would likewise have been refused admission. With us it mattered little, because we sent the goods on a lorry returning to its home near Fleetwood.
By the way, the tenant (consignee) under notice is a large company which owns shops all over the country; it is, in fact, a subsidiary to one of the largest concerns in the country, and in case it is not aware of this disgraceful happening I am drawing attention to it.
So far as I am concerned, it may interest the railway concerned to learn that I am "all out" for reprisals. With the help of friends I hope shortly to relieve it of at least £7,000 -worth of business per annum.
I reiterate, the railways have nothing but kicks for road transport, but despite this, road-transport interests reply by actually pampering them. Not only do the large manufacturers allow railway vans in hundreds on their premises, but use the railways extensively for carrying new vehicles, tyres and other accessories, fuel, etc.
I think Mr. H. R. Hoods Bans, of Steel Barrel Scammells and Associated Engineers, Ltd., is the only big man in the industry who has the courage for a code of honour in this respect. For years past he has insisted that all his goods shall travel by road. After all, a perfectly natural condition, and it amazes me that the other concerns should betray both themselves and the road-transport industry generally by taking the bread from their clients'. mouths and deliberately feeding their worst enemies with it. Such conduct is shortsighted enough by ordinary traders, but it is traitorous on the part of road-transport interests.
The railways are annihilating. road transport, and paradoxical as it may seem, the road-transport interests are not only aiding and abetting, but simultaneously fostering railway interests, WALTER GAMMONS, Managing Director, For Waiter Gammons, Limited. London, E.C.2.
We are pleased to note the vigorous attitude which Mr. Gammons is taking up. This fighting spirit is urgently needed in the road-transport industry.—En.]
HOW NOT TO OPERATE VEHICLES.
14959] I shall be pleased to receive a copy of your Tables of Operating Costs. My particular inquiries relate to the following vehicles, for which I am maintenance mechanic: One Leyland Hippo oil-engined 12tonner ; one A.E.C. Mammoth four-wheeler and trailer, 12 tons; three Leyland six-wheeler Cubs, overloaded to 6-7 tons.
I may say that owing to the low-rate work taken on, these vehicles are on the road almost night and day, giving me no time for any real service work, also our office charges at about £10 per week appear to be very high. Any running costs which you can give me relating to the above .vehicles I shall be very grateful for, as -when I have all my costs, etc., worked out from your Tables, I intend to have all this out with our director (who is not actively engaged in this business), and insist that these vehicles be properly serviced, as except for the Hippo, the others are not in a fit state to be on the road.
I feel sure that with the present class of work and the way in which the concern is carrying on, it Will not last for long, and if my costs suggestions, etc., are turned down I shall have no alternative but to seek a new position. May I, in conclusion, thank " S.T.R." for his helpful and " straight-from-the-shoulder " page in The Commercial Motor, which I have read for many years.
Manchester. ENGINEER.
[For the figures relating to the Leyland Hippo you should see Table 9 of The Commercial Motor Tables of Operating Costs. For the Mammoth four-wheeler, Table 1, adding together the last two columns. For the overloaded six-wheeled Cubs, take the figures for a 6-tanner from Table 6. Generally speaking, you will find that your maintenance costs will ultimately rise above the averages given in the Tables, although in the early stages of a new machine they may appear to be less, but if the vehicles be neglected and overworked the result of such treatment is bound to show itself in expense of upkeep.—S.T.R.]
CARRYING GOODS UNDER GENERAL TRADE PLATES.
[4960] One of our directors has just purchased a new Ford 15-cwt. van which he proposes to run under general trade plates.
He normally has to travel the country extensively and in the past has used a private car, but he is trying the van as a new experiment from the point of view of transferring motorcycles between our depots in various parts of the country.
In view of the fact that the van is unregistered andwill be run exclusively on trade plates and by one of the directors,. we shall be glad to know if you consider any carrier's licence or record of hours and journeys,
etc., will be required by law. G.T.P. Croydon.
[If you use a van under general trade plates for the conveyance of goods in connection with your busniess it wilt be necessary for you to obtain a licence under the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, and to observe the provisions of that Act with regard to the keeping of records of journeys. Section 1 (1) of the Act provides that, subject to the provisions of Part 1 of that Act, no person shall use a goods vehicle for the carriage of goods (a) for hire or reward; or (b) for or in connection with any trade or business carried on by him, except under a licence. Subsection (5) (d) of Section 1 provides that, for the purposes of Part 1 of the Act, the carriage of goods in a vehicle which is being used under,. and in accordance with the regulations applicable to, a licence taken out by a manufacturer or dealer under Section 9 of the Roads Act, 1920, or by a repairer under Section 15 of the Finance Act, 1922, shall not be deemed to constitute a carrying of the goods for hire or reward. Now, it is clear that Subsection (5) (d) applies to vehicles driven under trade plates, and there seems to be no doubt that if a vehicle so driven be used for carrying goods for hire or reward it does not require to be licensed under the Act. The Subsection refers, however, only to the carrying of goods for hire or reward, and not to the carrying of goods in connection with any trade or business carried on by the person using the vehicle. It is on this ground that we have based the view expressed in the first paragraph of this letter.—ED.]