Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-04-20

of the truck is rewarded, and careless
ness punished
In the army, under army discipline,
1t was easy to punish infractions of
rules for the care of trucks, but in
commercial life punishment is nearly
impossible, for the employee can al
ways quit his job if conditions are
not satisfactory to him. A fine can
not be readily enforced so the an
swer to this problem again works
back TO the bonus as a solution.
There are an infinite number of
ways in which the bonus system can
be applied on a pay basis, in extra
time for vacations in cash allowances,
or in any number of ways, but to be
efficient it must be applied in such
a way as to make it a real reward for
real efficiency.
CREATING REPAIR FUND.
One owner of q big fleet has rule
| by which he adds a fixed sum weekly
, to the wages of each driver, amount
I ing to 10 per cent of the drivers
standard pay, which is kept to the
highest standard of the district where
this fleet is operated, this extra money
being a bonus, of a cumulative type.
The driver gets his regular pay, but
the extra 10 per cent is deposited in
a repair fund.
This repair fund is kept like a bank
account, with deposit record for
each driver. Accidents, which cannot
( be chargeable to the driver, however
are paid for out of this fund, and a
failure to keep truck properly lu-
bricated at a weekly mechanical in
spection, forfeits the bonus for that
week. Time inspection is made on a
scale by which an average good con-
dition scores as par. A falling below
this condition forfeits part or all OF
the bonus for the week On the other
hand the bonus may be doubled by a
showing that the truck is particularly
well kept. This increase, however, is
hedged with conditions which prevent
the driver from camouflaging during
most of the week and appearing with
good truck on inspection day
INSPECTION METHOD.
This method of inspections is
worked out on an army basis, with a |
scale of extra bonuses or penalties. |
In case of an accident the driver, if
the dispatcher tries to charge the ac-
W can appeal TO afD1tfa-
tors chosen from outside the shop, to
pass on his negligence. The system is
not as detailed as it seems. 1t works |
out simply. The first three months |
after being put in effect saw an ave-
rage cut in repair bills of more than
double the total paid out in bonuses.
Various methods, however, may be
used. All is based on a system of
weekly inspections of the vehicle
good bonus system charges the driver
with the tools and equipment on his |
car, Withholds enough of his pay to
make fund for replacement, in case
of loss, again copying an army method
OF charging the driver for the vehicle
which he drives. The first essential
of any bonus system is to make it
worth while for the driver to keep 1
his machine in good condition.
A weekly vehicle inspection, either
running or in park, is essential to II
judging drivers care of his truck
Cleanliness, fabrication, engine knocks
and the general care of a machine all H
should be passed upon by the inspec-
tor. This is entirely different from
shop or mechanical inspection, it Is
a study of the car from the driving or
operating standpoint.
A bonus may be paid in the way of
extra cash for every week that the
machine Is out of the shop. This
however is likely to cause the driver
to fail to report minor difficulties,
which may become serious If not
attended to.
Some firms hold out of a drivers \
wages all money expended in repairs,
but this leads to dissatisfaction among !
the men. A fair wage with a cash
bonus brings the best spirit of CO.
operation among the men.
ANOTHER BONUS PLAN.
Another way of fixing bonus pay .
ments Is to take cost sheet OF re- (
pairs for an entire fleet pro rate III
them by machines. and then give to
each driver a Percentage of what is