Should Ministries Run Their Own Transport ?
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THE view that a tremendous econoniy in both fuel and rubber, in addition to man-power, would result from Ministry of War Transport control of fleets at present operated independently by other Government Departments, is expressed in a statement issued by the Yorkshire Area Standing Joint Committee.
In support of this contention, the committee cites as an instance, " which could be identified and confirmed," that two vehicles controlled by the Ministry of Aircraft Production travelled empty for 380 miles in order to take a 8-ton load of goods for a distance of only 30 miles or so. "There was no reason why this job could not have been done by one local 50-cwt. vehicle, running about 80 miles instead of over 400," it is added.
" It is believed that this is not an isolated case, and if this sort of thing be multiplied by the various Ministries all over the country the waste of fuel and rubber must be enormous. If the vehicles be controlled by the Regional Transport Commissioners, who also control the issue of fuel, such waste would be obviated."
Suggesting that various Ministries which operate road transport free from Ministry of Transport control have, for that reason, not the urge for economical operation, the committee says that centralization of control as proposed would by its economies make a valuable contribution to the war effort.