Maintainers-Hours Reported During 1959

The graders and maintainers are listed by year of purchase and are identified by the assigned district and unit number. The chart shows the number of hours each machine was reported used during 1959. The vertical lines on the chart represent the following: RENTAL This line represents the dividing point, in terms of hours of use, and indicates whether a machine is more economically owned or rented. If a machine is to be used less than the number of hours indicated by the line, it is advantageous to rent it rather than to own it.

AVERAGE HOURS PER ALLOCATED MACHINE-In order to initiate the program, that is, proper utilization of equipment through advanced planning and control, extra machines will be allowed. The initial total of allowed machines are identified as allocated machines. This line represents the average hours each allocated machine would have been used during 1959. The

average would have been 1260 hours for graders and 960 hours for maintainers.

NORM-This line represents the average annual use of graders and maintainers which can be anticipated, provided that the Commission's recommendations are carried out.

AGE-The horizontal line placed between the listing of 1950 and 1951 machines indicates the point above which machines may normally be considered obsolete (over 8 years old), on a maintenance and technological basis. These machines should only be retained if they meet the following requirements:

A. Accumulated repair costs do not exceed 120% of replacement cost.

B. Maximum one-time repair as a percent of replacement cost does not exceed the following: Age in Years.... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Percent of Re

placement Cost 50 40 33 27 23 23 20 17

Percent Utilization of Graders and Maintainers This chart is divided into four sections. The first section is composed of three vertical bars per district, identified as follows:

1. All Available Equipment

This shows the actual hours reported cumulatively for all graders and maintainers during 1959, as a percentage of the standard norm (1500 hours X total machines).

2. By Exclusive Use of 1951 thru 1958 Equipment This bar represents the percentage utilization of graders and maintainers, assuming equipment purchased from 1951 thru 1958 has been used to accomplish all work required during 1959. In certain instances, districts had insufficient equipment in this age group to accomplish the re

quired work, unless operated at well over 100%

of the standard norm.

3. Required Equipment

This represents the percentage utilization of equipment based upon the allowance recom

Similarly, the Commission believes, all trucks should meet minimum operating use standards designed for the type of truck and measured in days used and annual mileage driven.

So-called "emergency" equipment, such as snowplows and pumps, should be exempted from the operating use standard requirement.

In connection with these recommendations, the Commission has developed and furnished standards for the Department's guidance.

(b) An Equipment Pool

Equipment should be pooled at designated locations for use on an "area" basis (beyond district lines) if its actual or anticipated use in a residency or district falls below the prescribed use standard. The rare unit of equipment with an exceptionally low-use potential, such as a concrete cutter, should be assigned on a statewide basis.

2. Maintenance

(a) Truck and Equipment Age

Trucks and equipment should not be kept in service beyond the point where obsolescence, number of breakdowns, and maintenance cost make its use uneconomical. Retention of such equipment has resulted, in most cases, not only in disproportionately high repair cost, in relation to its usefulness, but also loss of efficiency because of technological advances in new machinery.

The Commission recommended development by the Department of repair and replacement schedules for each type of equipment, based upon a careful assessment of maintenance costs.

(b) Preventive Maintenance

A sound preventive-maintenance procedure should be rigidly prescribed and faithfully observed.

The Department's present program of equipment and truck maintenance contains some elements of preventive maintenance. However, a pre-planned program calling for the periodic replacement of certain equipment and truck

components should be instituted to prevent field breakdowns. Such a program should include utilization of repair work time standards as established by manufacturers and should prohibit indiscriminate use of worn parts from idle or junk machinery.

(c) Equipment and Truck Assignment Concentration of trucks and other items of equipment in such a manner that the operating jurisdiction has, so far as feasible, equipment of similar make simplifies maintenance planning and reduces the variety of spare parts needed in inventory.

The Commission recommends, therefore, that newly purchased trucks and equipment be assigned in accordance with this policy. It further proposes that the Department undertake a gradual interchange of equipment between jurisdictions so as to effectuate this policy and benefit by it to the greatest possible

extent.

3. Management and Work Planning

(a) Assignment of Work and Equipment Nearly all highway maintenance work involving more than one residency is assigned to the multiple jurisdictions of the various areas included, with segments of the project being supervised by resident engineers. In addition to the supervision by several authorities, there is an uneconomical duplication of equipment.

To simplify planning and eliminate duplication of supervision and equipment, the Commission recommends that road maintenance work be assigned on the basis of the entire project rather than on its parts as determined by residency boundaries.

(b) Centralized Record Keeping and

Planning

The present work planning and record keeping at the district level and by varying methods results in costly inconsistencies in maintaining inventories of spare parts and equipment.

Record keeping related to truck and equipment usage, maintenance and repair costs, and

The Commission proposes that all such records be transferred to data processing equipment already available in the central office in Albany.

This would permit a continuous and instant check upon equipment utilization and facilitate central planning toward more effective assignment and use of machinery.

4. Distribution and Repair of Maintenance Equipment and Trucks

Practically all trucks and maintenance equipment, except when in district shops for repairs, are in the residencies for use by the resident engineers. Notable exceptions are blacktop pavers which are too expensive, too limited in use and too scarce to be assigned to each residency. These pavers are moved from residency to residency by the district office in accordance with work loads and pre-arranged schedules. This indicates that it is feasible to move equipment where and when needed, and that advance planning and scheduling is practicable.

At present, equipment is available at only two levels: district and residency.

The maximum distance from the far reaches of a residency to a district repair facility is presently 165 miles. Considerable time is lost in transportation of equipment to the district shop for repairs and expensive equipment is out of operation during this time. After reaching a district shop, equipment often is further tied up by non-availability of parts, particularly as a result of cumbersome procurement policies. The distance factor also is important because many parts used in repairs at the residencies must be obtained from the district repair shops, since only a limited inventory is maintained at the residency and local purchasing is prohibited.

It is necessary that the residency mechanic, at least one of whom is found in most residencies, travel to the district shop several times a week to obtain repair or replacement parts.

stances where the part is minor in nature and could be procured locally at small cost.

Each residency repair shop performs various types of repairs on equipment. Apparently, no overall policy is enforced as to the type repairs to be performed at the residency level, and each mechanic operates largely at his own discretion and within his own ability limitations. Categories of Repairs

Repairs are in three general categories: Minor repairs, unit replacements and major overhauls. Minor repairs include mending or replacing a few individual parts or reconditioning assemblies when such work can be performed without highly specialized tools or equipment. Such jobs should be performed at the residency level. Functional assemblies, such as generators, and water pumps should also be installed at this level. All major repairs, such as engine overhauls and work required as a result of periodic inspection should be done in shops which are better equipped to handle such work.

Recommendations

In the interest of greater efficiency and substantial economies in the distribution, maintenance and repair of trucks and equipment, the Commission recommends reduction of the present ten district maintenance and repair shops to five currently operating shops for the servicing of equipment on a designated area basis, instead of the present district basis.

Application of this area concept to the functions of distribution, maintenance and repair would not, as envisioned by the Commission, affect administrative or other aspects of the present district structure.

In studying various combinations of districts and/or residencies in this connection, the Commission saw possibilities for substantial reduction of travel distance between residencies and repair shops. One such combination would cut to 94 miles the previously cited present maximum of 165.