DRIVERS' REPORTS AID VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
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• THE importance 'of vehicle-Mainten.1. anee records and of drivers' reports on performance was stressed when tralleybus maintenance was discussed at a meeting of the Yorkshire Transport Society, held recently under the presidency of Mr. H. Mann.
In a paper on " Tram and Trolley' bus 'Maintenance at Depots," Mr. E. Oughtibridge, depot superintendent in the Bradford Passenger Transport Dipartinent, stressed that, in the ,interests of safety, they could not have too much maintenance "riti passenger transport. Whilst it was necessary to guard against over-systematization at depots, efaiency demanded that there must be regular examination and ser-,
s20 • viting of mechanism, and the keeping of records was vital to this end.
If the depot-foreman took a 100 per cent. interest in his job, it would be shown in the completeness of his vehicle-maintenance records. Apart from the periodical inspection of vehicles, drivers' complaints concerning the performance of any mechanism should be investigated immediately.
On the latter point, Mr. R. E. Cox, M. Sc.,. assistant rollIng-stock engineer in the Bradford municipal undertaking, emphasized that vehicle maintenance could be carried out more easily if drivers handed in accurate and adequate reports on the performance of their vehicles.
Endorsing this .remark, "Mr. Oughti bridge said that a nice. clean report form " from a driver, was not always a healthy, sign. Drivers' complaints on. performance could be most helpful to ,the maintenance side, who had no , other means for knowing was happened on the road.
• With reference to depot organization, Mr, Cox said he thought that there would be a -tendency for depots to become larger, on the principle that the bigger the unit the greater the efficiency. There was a limit to this principle, however, for it has been found that large depots. housing, say,. over .250 vehicles were inclined to nnwieldi: ness.