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

CHAPTER XXVI AN EXAMPLE OF BIG FLEET ORGANIZATION A 300 Vehicle Fleet and its Costing System. It is not difficult to realize that a transport firm whose vehicles daily cover 5,000 miles collecting and deliver- ing 120,000 gallons of milk must require extremely good organization. throughout the service, also that the records of costs must be of exceptional interest. Some particulars of the working of such a firm, which is really a big combine comprising as it does some fifty odd companies, are given here. About 300 vehicles (mostly of the 3-ton type) are employed and standardization is being arrived at as much as possible, the latest additions to the fleet comprising 130 new tliree-ton chassis all of the one make, and thirty 30-cwt. machines of another make. The average petrol consumption for the new 3-ton lorries is from 6 to 7 miles per gallon, and for the 30-cwt. 10 miles per gallon. The principal work is to collect milk from the farmers, take it to the firm’s factories, and deliver it wherever required. A very complete system of record-keeping is used, whereby it is possible to find the cost per gallon per day for any lorry in the fleet. Three forms are filed for each. lorry — No. 1 gives the financial hist ory ; No. 2 gives the running costs ; No. 3 gives the mechanical history. Specimens of the forms used are reproduced here and, as in the case of others shown later, are self-explanatory. 189