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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 3 (July 1, 1932)

Character of Road Competition

Character of Road Competition.

“That change has been occasioned by the advent of the road motor vehicle for passengers and for goods. According to the statistics issued by the Ministry of page 55 Transport, of the goods road vehicles licensed for the year 1930, more than one-third of the whole has a loading capacity not exceeding one ton. More than two-thirds do not exceed two tons, and only a small proportion of the vehicles licensed has a capacity greater than two tons. The competitors of the railways are the one-ton and two-ton wagons which are on the roads, and that is a fact of very considerable significance. The question is how the railways can keep their traffic in the face of the competition of vehicles of such small capacity. The problem has entirely changed its character. The fundamental question to ask is what is wanted, not by the railway company—which was the attitude of 1900—but by the customer. Is the customer really asking for capacity or for quantity? Does size appeal to him? The answer can be given without hesitation; it does not appeal to him at all. Speed? Speed certainly appeals to the customer; he wants to get his goods quickly, to be able to hand them to the transport agency at one end and get them almost immediately at the other.”

A Modern Boiler Shop On The New Zealand Railways. (Photo. A. P. Godber.) Samples of pressed steel boiler parts fabricated by special machinery at the Hutt Valley Workshops, Wellington.

A Modern Boiler Shop On The New Zealand Railways.
(Photo. A. P. Godber.)
Samples of pressed steel boiler parts fabricated by special machinery at the Hutt Valley Workshops, Wellington.