The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-04-12
ny WARREN u. BULLOCK
formerly Captain. Motor Transport
Corps. 4. ;. A.
Especial to Tho star

Especial Co The star
The problem Of keeping "a truck In
service. and Of cutting down repair
bills. " one OF the most important
problems that comes 20 the operator
Of commercial vehicles where. %
single truck H. operated. u Is possible
FOR the owner 20 keep reasonably
clono personal supervision over the
work OF the driver. but whore there
IL fleet. this becomes wcilnlsh I'M
possible.
To lose a truck from service be.
cause OF repair work means the lovs
Of cold cash. II a truck II worth $50
day IN returns. every day V H. ln
the shop means just that much loaH
10 the owner. n dorm trucks are
In the fleet. and one IL iu The shop
every day. tho cost 81 operation ~
the fleet becomes tremendously high.
yet this IL by no means an unusually
high average loss OF tim" fef repairs.
There are several methods ~ keep
Ing repair bllln down. one Is ~ send
Ing a truck 90 the shop only when "
I has coIne 20 such a condition that u
can not be run further without an
overhaul. Such eareleaaneAs. OF
course. viii not exiH, where any r~al
supervision OF trucks n maintained.
A method used by many operators Of
hiT fleets IL TO rotate all trucks Of the
fleet into the shops for clone me
chhnical inspection. II truck fleet.
however. OF a dozen vehicles has one
la the shop each day for Inspection.
on betsis Of inspection every two
weeks. Il IL necessary 20 maintain "a
thirteenth machine. OF reserve truck
10 take the place Of the inspected
truck, In addition 10 any trucks kept
in reserve for emergency.
Tho hest cure for shop expense.
however. IL prevention. This In.
ciudcs not only the rotating innp>c-
ton. hu; also the closest sort ~ care
Of the truck when Il II IN operation.
tn. shop inspection iocatss worn
parts. before the damage becomes
acute. Tho other method. and the
most vital. II the care Of the truck
when in service.
The motor transport corps. In ep
Grating ltH thousands Of trucks. PROV
cd the efficacy 81 tho prevention
method BY increasing It's use % oii
and grease. and thereby cutting
down 10 an unbeiievabiy low point
the cost cf ahop repairs on trucks.
Uncle Sarn's figures are no; open
for publication. but u can b. said.
roughly. tina, with all tn. wear and
t~ar on trucks In France. with trucks
operated under pressure until they
could hardly be made to roll. the care
Of tn. machinery by the drivers was
sueh. particularly thru fabrication.
that tho repair bills were cut 90 fig
urr far. far below ihoeo % any com.
merclai truck Operating concern.
even N figured on the basis ~ ciyil
life repair costs. Even Including
trucks put out ~ commission by
hostile attack. the repair bills were
below those OF commercial truck
fl~~ss
Tn. army method was productive.
therefore. Of real economy. Tho army
method Is being copied by CONNER.
ciai truck operators. and SUCCESSFUL
". Sometimes, In order to produce
results. there II bonus system cm.
pioycd 10 spur the drivers to keep
their trucks In fine condition. but IN
every case where tried. the usr Of
plenty Of iubrican, has produced Ia.
slant results in keeping the car out
Of the shop. A heated bearing r.
easy 10 prevent. but when burnt out
A.. ,-assf., g. r~xf.~c ..f artx L.. tf,,,r