The men in this department must be men who have come up through the ranks, or men who are thoroughly familiar with the construction of the particular make of automobile. The inspector is usually a man who is able to fill out reports and keep his records. The checker does similar work, while the final tester must be a mechanic whose judgment of the mechanical condition of the car is not to be questioned. Handicapped mechanics could qualify for this position providing they were able to handle the car properly. One good hand and a part of the other and possibly one leg would allow a man to do this work. Wages are good and the position is a responsible one.
PLAN No. 1120. PREPARATION FOR SHIPPING
From the final test department, the car goes to the shipping department. There a crew of men load the cars and block them for shipping. The men employed here must have good strong bodies as they have to move the cars by hand and oftentimes considerable lifting is necessary. A handicapped man could hardly qualify in this work unless his injury had been very slight. Wages for this work are higher than those of common laborers and the work is steady.
PLAN No. 1121. UNLOADING, STORING, AND DELIVERING CARS
The car is now ready for shipment and is transported to the agent of the manufacturer. Here a small crew unloads the cars and takes them to the warehouse for storage.
The men in this unloading crew are usually a little better grade of men than the loaders. Usually each one of these unloaders can drive or steer an automobile. The cars are sometimes driven away from the unloading platform under their own power, while in other cases they are towed at the end of a rope or cable. This branch of work is not very steady, and oftentimes the crews are made up of mechanics from the repair shop.
After the car has been placed in the warehouse for storage some one must check it up. This is usually done by the record clerk. The agent now puts his salesman out to sell the car and after it has been sold it is necessary for some one to deliver it to the customer. The car is brought from the warehouse to the garage or service department where it is inspected. This inspection consists of filling the fuel tank, oil reservoir, radiator, and grease cups, inflating tires, and making a road test. After delivery the customer must be instructed as to the proper way to handle the car, and several men are employed for this service.
After History of the Car
The car is now in the hands of the customer, and after he has had some service out of it, it finally becomes necessary for him to have the car gone over and adjusted. He brings the car to the repair department for this work, which requires various specialists such as, for example, engine specialists, and specialists on ignition. In time the car is practically worn out or the owner wants a new one, and he therefore trades his old car on a new one or sells it outright.
Possibly the used-car dealer gets hold of it for resale. If so, he cleans it up, adjusts it, and possibly has it painted. Here again the services of helpers, mechanics, and salesmen are required.