TRANSPORT OF GOODS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 104, 13 April 1933, Page 9

TRANSPORT OF GOODS

LICENSING PROVISIONS OPERATIVE FROM JUNE 1. SERVICE-OWNERS’ OBLIGATIONS. Under a recent Order-in-Council tho provisions of tho Transport Licensing Act, 1931, relating to the carriage of goods by motor vehicles will be brought into operation as from June 1 next, and as a great deal of doubt exists in the minds of local carriers as to tho purport of the licensing regulations, Mr Oliver, Napier borough traffic inspector, was interviewed yesterday, when he summarised tho position as follows: 1. Motor Truck Operators requiring licenses. —The carriage of all commodities with the exception of milk or cream from farms to dairy factories, requires to be licensed ix tho commodities in question are ear-'-'d between any two points and if b- w m such points there is an available rx.-.e which includes not less than five miles of main or secondary highways. i Persons or firms using trucks for carrying their own commodities do not require to be licensed. If, however, any such vehicles aro used for the carriage of goods for hire or reward, even if only for an occasional “back load” for which a charge is made, they are then required to be licensed. Milk or cream lorries are required to be licensed if they carry stores or supplies for hire or reward to farmers. The term “goods” means “all kinds of moveable personal property, including animals.” EXEMPTED AREAS. 2. Areas Exempted from the Regulations.—(a) All areas lying within the boundaries of boroughs and town districts; (b) all areas lying within the special exempted areas around the four main centres, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

3. Classes of Licenses. —(a) A continuous license, which is in respect of a service to be carried on throughout the year, whether daily on ’’oeified days of every week, or oth W u at intervals not exceeding one month, or a license in respect of special events recurring at intervals during the year; (b) a seasonal license, which is in respect of a service to bo carried on only during a period or periods of the year specified in the license—i.e., operators run a regular service during the summer months only, or operate as business warrants during the wool season, grain season, fat lamb season, etc.; (c) temporary licence, which is in respect of a service to be carried on for a specified period of not more than 14 days or for any Specified special occasion or occasions. 1 The temporary license will apply mostly in the case of operators whose main business is carried on within the boundaries, or not more than five miles beyond the boundaries of a borough, but who require to take special loads at odd times, e.g., furniture, etc. 4. Vehicle Authorities.—A goods service license will cover, in most cases, the whole operations of a carrier or firm so far as such operations require to be licensed. Each license wfll bo ac-t companied by one or more vehicle authorities. These vehicle authorities set out the maximum quantity or weight of goods which may be carried on any vehicle on which they are carried, and also the routes or areas in which they are operative. i VEHICLE AUTHORITIES. The following should bo noted for the purpose of ascertaining the number of vehicle authorities required under each goods service license:— (a) A vehicle authority is not granted in respect of any particular vehicle, but may be used on any vehicle. (b) It empowers the operator, and no one else, to carry goods up to the quantity or weight over the route or area specified. (c) It must be used subject to the heavy motor vehicle regulations—i.e., it does not entitle an operator to exceed his heavy traffic license or otherwise contravene the regulations. (d) Every vehicle under goods service license must carry an approprito vehicle authority. A few examples are quoted which assist operators in determining the numver of vehicle authorities required:— (1) A local carrier has six vehicles. Most of his work is done in and around a borough and does not require to be licensed. Occasionally, however, he takes loads beyond the five-mile limit on a main highway, and for that requires a goods service license. From his way-bills he ascertains that never more than three vehicles are thus engaged at any one time. He therefore applies for one goods service license and states the number of vehicle authorities as three. (2) An operator has a fleet of four vehicles with which he carries on a regular service between towns A and B, and B and C, both services requiring to be licensed. Two vehicles run each way on each route per day. If the vehicle running from A to B arrived at B before the vehicle running from B to A left B, and similarly between B and C, then only one vehicle authority would be required for each route. If, however, an interchange is not possible, two vehicle authorities must be obtained for each route, so that one is'able to be carried on each vehicle in Use at any given time. (3) In the case of a temporary goods service license, the same principle applies. If the job can be done with one vehicle only, one vehicle authority is required, but if, say, six vehicles were carrying loads at the same time,, then six vehicle authorities would be required. ; MAKING OF APPLICATIONS. It behoves lorry owners to make themselves conversant with the Transport Licensing Act and regulations, as in certain cases goods licenses for the first year will be automatic —i.e., granted as of right, owing to the fact that the owner (or preceding owners) is now and was continuously carrying on a service, lawfully, prior to the passing of the Transport Licensing Act, 1931, and providing his application is in the hands of the Commissioner of Transport before May 1, 1933. In the case of an automatic license for a seasonal service, the applicant must show- tliw ■ service was carried on during tin w seasons immediately preceding Ap;i. .. 1933, or where that

date falls within such a season during the whole of the immediately preceding season. A maximum penalty of £lOO is provided on summary conviction of any carrier carrying goods without a license which comes within this new law. i