Motor Road Transport For Commercial Purposes
(Liquid Fuel, Steam, Electricity)

CHAPTER XXV ELECTRIC TRUCKS, AND THE COST OF RUNNING In spite of the attention which is being given to motor road transport to-day throughout Great Britain— in faet, throughout the world—the problem of “ first ” handling of material and goods in facturies and loading yards does not receive as mueh study as it might. It can easily be seen that a business house which changes over from horse to motor vehicle for the delivery and collection of goods may effeet a great saving in expenditure ; but that if the lorries are kept waiting about unnecessarily in the yards, or if there is congestion in the factory itself, owing to lack of adequate means for the handling of material, the transport system will not show the best return. Loading1 Economy. The effeetiveness of a motor fleet, however finely run, will be hampered if out of date and wasteful means are employed for the conveyance of the goods to the loading bays. In many classes of trade, wheel-barrows and hånd propelled trucks are used where conditions would readily allow the use of mechanically propelled trucks ; and this in an age when production is of primary importance, and the price of labour is high. Labour Saving Trucks. Without doubt there is great scope for soundly constructed “ initial-conveyance ” vehicles. The electric truck—which can be handled by unskilled labour—is capable of replacing five or six men with hånd barrows, thus saving the wages of at least four men. It may be mentioned, in addition, that the 185