OPINIONS FROM OTHERS
Page 68
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Operating Costs for Commercial Vehicles.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
127621 Sir,—May I be permitted to refer to "Furniture Remover's" letter in your issue of March 12th, and, in particular, to his imaginary week's work?
It would, in my opinion, be unfair to expect your expert to base any figures of costing on the data contained in that week's work.
For instance, in the second paragraph of his letter he states that the time occupied in loading and unloading each van is approximately five to six hours; this I agree with, but in his table of work he suggests that in two days it is po sible to travel 310 miles and load and unload. Allowing four hours only, if a solo, for loading and unloading, he has to do 151 m.p.h. for 20 hours, and this allows nothing for meals, rest or steep. If the load be a double one, that is, van and trailer, it is still worse. If this be the sort of journey he contemplates and expects to do in the time mentioned, it is no wonder that the furniture removing industry Is suffering from price cutting.---Yours faith fully, COSTING. Bournemouth,
The Hard-hit Haulier The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[27631 Sir,—I was much interested in Mr. F. Butler's letter in a recent issue, under the heading "The Hard-hit Haulier."
I presume, writing as he does from High Wycombe, that Mr. Butler's firm is chiefly engaged in the haulage of chairs between that town and London, in which case his "grouse" is certain to be typical of others emanating from the same source. I would, however, like to put forward a few suggestions for Mr. Butler's consideration, before he finally decides to go out of business.
I have had some number of years at handling furniture transport in London and on long-distance routes to towns within a radius of 240 miles of the City, during which time I have watched with interest the development of road transport between High Wycombe and London. I have an extensive experience of work, ing costs on this type of traffic, upon which I base my suggestions.
Ninety per cent. of the raffle leaving High Wycombe is of a very light nature, chiefly confined to chairs of all types, and yet it is typical of the Wycombe hauliers that they will use very old-type and, in some cases, obsolete lorries of a heavy-duty class, presumably bought second-hand, or maybe third-hand, because they appear cheap. I admit they can carry what amounts sometimes to an enormous load, but, as Mr. Butler points out in relation to the three old vehicles he operates, at what enormous cost.
I admit Nat a mate is a necessity in view of tha load carried, and, in fact, should be insisted upon by the Wycombe manufacturers, but why use these ancient heavy-type lorries, with taxes of 148, plus insurances, and with a terribly heavy fuel consumption, Why not modernize the service and get out of a bad rut; cut away from the old stock and develop the service, using lighter-type vehicles of t 30-cwt. class, and speed up organization, at the,same time greatly economizing on working costs. 'Certainly the loads will not be as great as on the heavier lorries, but, knowing the rates paid by the manufacturers for this traffic, I maintain that B42 a good profit-bearing load can be packed on this type of vehicle, providing the platform measurements are well thought out and advantage taken of every available space, especially when running regularly, as these hauliers do.
I have quite recently spoken to a number of manufacturers from Wycombe who have expressed much dissatisfaction with the type of road service offered them. They are not reimbursed in respect of any loss through breakages or damage to goods caused by vehicles standing in the rain or goods in an open yard, the goods being carried solely at "owner's risk." It has been known for the top level of a load to be almost wholly swept away by coming into contact with a bridge. In these circumstances the Wycombe manufacturers are quite right in arguing that "the railways do it for that." The Wycombe-London road service is not worth more for the simple reason that it is not offering more than the railways are offering. A commercial road service to-day must be progressive and must not allow itself to be engulfed in the apathetic channels so charac teristic of railway working. I hold no brief for, nor is this letter intended in any way to defend, our Chancellor of the Exchequer, whom, I agree, continues to make it more difficult to carry on commercially. I do, however, write as one wholeheartedly interested in industrial transport generally and that of furniture particularly, and as a member of the Industrial Transport Association and all it stands for, hoping that this letter may be the means for starting Mr. Butler upon another train of thought, thus helping him to overcome the burdens imposed by our two great obstacles—Mr. Churchill and the petrol combines.—Yours faithfully, A. L. HAywAan. New Barnet..
Spain Wants British Goods.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
127641 Sir,—in the minds of many British manufacturers interested in the export trade to Spain, there has arisen .a feeling of uneaSiness in connection with Spain's Impending tariff revision. This uneasiness has translated itself into a certain disinclination to take a part at all commensurate with our position as a commercial nation at the Barcelona Exhibition, which opens in May and which offers an unrivalled opportunity for manufacturers to demonstrate the quality of British goods to the Spanish people • and to the thousands of buyers who will. be coming. from the South American Republics.
Spain and Latin America want the high-class goods that Britain provides and it would be a thousand pities if, through lack of knowledge of the essential facts, British manufacturers were led to throw away such an opportunity for doing business. I venture to suggest, therefore, that the greatest publicity should be given to the very important statement made by the Spanish Ambassador in his broadcast speech at the Barcelona dinner held recently in London. His Excellency said :—" I am happy to say, without any fear of a disavowal, that my Government will confirm by its acts the offer that the revised Spanish Customs tariff will not contain any new or greater limitation for the importation of British products into Spain."
Such a pronouncement should clear away any misapprehension as to tariff restrictions that there may be in the minds of British traders.—Yours faithfully, KENDALL PARK, Chairman, Barcelona Exhibition (British Section).