The B.R.F. Stresses Importance of Vehicle Maintenance
Page 18
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE leading article in the January edition of the Monthly Bulletin of Road Infarmation issued by the British Road Federation concerns the important .subject of Vehicle 'maintenance.
It points out that commercial-motor Vehicles are being worked harder than ever before—in fact, practically to death—and it is no longer possible to give them the complete overhauls that, in the past, prolonged by years their useful life.
Many skilled . men have been called up, and of the older some have gone to other jobs. There is no time to do even small repair work where vehicles are occupied for 24 hours a day. They have to carry on until they become unsafe or incapable of movement.
Operators who took a pride in keeping their fleets in good condition had from 3 to 4 per cent, of the vehicles 'off the road for maintenance; to-day they have an average of 10 to 15 per cent., this reduction assuming grave proportions. Successive requisitioning has taken many of the newer machines; the older require additional maintenance, and spare parts are more urgently . required. These parts are often unobtainable even after Icing delays.
Some system of priority must be established which will guarantee to civilian transport sufficient spare parts and new vehicles for replacement As greater calls for road transport are made, o must priorities be enlarged.. Output must be fairly apportioned between military and civilian needs.
The Ministers of Supply and Labour are concerned with the Minister of Transport in taking immediate action in this matter of maintenance. There is no time for protracted departmental deliberations or the setting up of yet more committees.