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

48 MOTOR ROAD TRANSPORT The greater the mileage a van runs in the week, the smaller, proportionately, will be the final figure, for the reason that the standing charges remain the same in any case. Therefore, if the total weekly cost has to be divided by a large mileage figure, the total vehicle cost per mile will be relatively low, and vice versa. Ton-Mile Costs. Ton-mile costs can be very deceptive unless carefully studied, especially in regard to estimated charges. For example, it is of little real help to set out the cost per ton-mile of a 3 ton vehicle which operates at 2s. per mile as 8d., because this assumes that the vehicle always travels fully loaded, which is hardly likely to be the case in practice. The writer has, therefore, purposely omitted to show such figures except in the cases of “actual” costs, or in those where ton-mile figures are shown on a half loaded as well as a fully loaded basis. Light Vans (2-5 cwt.) : Pre-war Costs. The following costs refer to a 5 cwt. van fitted with a canopy type of body. The table has been compiled from records carefully kept day by day over a period of 12 months. The vehicle was employed in the delivery service of a leading Wholesale drug company in London, and was at work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and often much later. A night staff to do the necessary cleaning and adjustments was requisite, owing to the car being on the road all day. The average mileage per week worked out at 500. It will be noticed that the driver’s wages—in this particular case £1 per week—are not included. The rate of depreciation is such that the total initial cost of the van is wiped off in less than three and a half years, which is a liberal basis provid.ed