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I REMARKABLE SAFETY RECORD

8th March 1963, Page 71
8th March 1963
Page 71
Page 72
Page 71, 8th March 1963 — I REMARKABLE SAFETY RECORD
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

BY HUGH G. JARMAN

7HEN Norman Transport Ltd., of V Montreal, was awarded an exclusive 1g-term contract to haul rayon for lurtaulds Canada Ltd. over 30 years o, there were some stiff conditions ached to the agreement. Rayon is a rishable product and great care must taken in handling it; also, deliveries d to meet a tight schedule, involving ;lit runs over treacherous roads.

Weather typical to Canada made the ate involved, from Montreal to pronto, a notoriously dangerous one. Inning parallel to the canal used by igs travelling from the St. Lawrence ver to the Great Lakes, the road is bject to ice and snow most of the year, Timer being the only time when a .ver can afford to relax a little.

However, so reliable has Norman ansport become that during 30 years service to Courtaulds, two round trips htIy have been carried out without.ssing a single scheduled load and witht a single accident in which rayon was t or damaged. Quite a record.

Today the company's fleet totals 118 hicks, artics being used for the lurtaulds run.

The "Rayon Express", as the service now known, operates totally during night hours. Fully loaded, the artics 7ry 10 tons _of rayon spools, each spool ighing 1,200 lb. The special boxvan .ilers have steel rails welded to the or, and a second set of rails on a imework about 4 ft. above floor level; Wale tier loading is employed. Ten these special trailers are used, all ulusively for hauling rayon. Other ilers have standard interiors and are

to carry fibre in 300-1b. case or le form.

Of course, the company's long record safety and reliability has not come out just by chance. Drivers are catch and progressively trained and main tenance is given a great deal of attention.

No driver is allowed to drive his vehicle for longer than three hours without a rest period. With the possible exception of a mechanical breakdown, the company knows exactly what time each vehicle will arrive at the end of its three-hour driving period. At established roadside restaurants both driver and tractive unit are changed.

The second driver and tractive unit depart as soon as the trailer is hooked on to his vehicle, the first driver staying at the restaurant until the arrival of the next vehicle. By this time he is thoroughly rested and has had ample time to check his vehicle on such items as fuel, oil, brakes, tyres and lights. On the next stage of his journey he will continue to either Toronto or Montreal, the 395-mile trip between cities taking approximately six hours. Therefore, a driver leaving Toronto for Montreal, or vice versa, will drive for three hours, rest for two and then drive a further three hours. With this schedule, no driver suffers from fatigue, which is as well for the drivers travel alone.

Mr. Emblem, president of Norman Transport, believes that the most common cause of road accidents is driver fatigue. " We just cannot afford to have an accident," he said. "All our vehicles are equipped with radio telephones and are in constant touch with the dispatcher. Our loads are too valuable to take chances."

Owing to the value of their load, drivers are not allowed to leave their vehicles for any reason. If an accident or anything suspicious is seen by a driver he immediately phones for, assistance—but cannot himself give it. To leave his load is an invitation to thieves.

Each driver has his own particular vehicle and never drives another for as long as the vehicle remains in service. Even during major overhaul periods he stays at the garage and supervises the work being done, co-operating with the maintenance chief. It is also the driver who makes the daily vehicle condition report. It is felt by Norman Transport that this method builds up the driver's pride and confidence in his vehicle, giving him a feeling of ownership.

.At the end of each day tractive units are rigidly inspected. Engines, oil, pumps, fan belt, electrical accessories, etc., all are closely checked. Both tractive units and trailers are lubricated weekly and a cornplete engine oil change is also carried out weekly: After 50.030 miles a tractive unit is completely overhauled.

As an added safety measure all vehicles are equipped with rear. wheel air-operated road-sanding devices. The electric sanders spray grit on the road just ahead of the rear wheels as the driver applies his brakes.

Driver Training Norman's simple but effective method of driver training has, of course, spoken for itself. Whenever a new driver is hired, regardless of his past experience he starts as a driver's mate on a city pick-up truck. From there he progresses to driver of that truck: His next step forward is to that driver's mate on long-distance artic a Ultimately, if he proves himself; to dril of that vehicle. Then, and only then, he eligible to become a/driver on 1 " Rayon Express ".

All Norman vehicles are running rayon cord tyres, the entire fleet acting, it were, as an on-the-road testing grou for all types of Courtaulds' tyres.

Bearing in mind the conditions um which the " Rayon Express" is largo operated, snow, ice and sleet for vc. nearly three-quarters of the year, t record of reliability and safety is in& fantastic. British fleets have recently h their own taste of near-arctic conditio but one wonders if they have fared well. Special care in maintenance a driver training certainly pays dividends

Tags

People: Wale, Emblem
Locations: Toronto, Montreal

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