Bird's Eye View
Page 77
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FRIEND from South Africa has given me some -I interesting information concerning a labour problem the Republic. Apparently the managing director of the iblic Utility Transport Corporation out there has declared at his organization plans to train natives as mechanics
r work on diesel engines. " We realize we are cutting ross trade union policy ", said this executive, " but it is fficult to get white mechanics who are prepared to work night -which is the only time the Corporation's fleet of 0 buses can be serviced. Another reason for this step explains, "is that some of our servicing depots are in tive townships and no whites are allowed there at night ". us company has, in fact, been taking on self-trained native !chanics for some time, but now suitable applicants with previous mechanical knowledge are to be engaged. I forward to my friend's next letter!
xit Mr. Robey
TET another well-known transport advocate is leaving the business. Ian Robey, the Newcastle solicitor, who s been involved in many of the legal battles in the nthern Area, and, recently, before the Court of Appeal the R.A.H. Transporters appeal, has left the North to ce up an appointment in London. For many years Mr. they has represented the British Transport Commission, d latterly British Road Services in the North. Who will ce his place?
ppreciated !
XTR ACT from Daily List of Government Publications ' No. 218 last month reads: "Publications Reprinted th New Prices-10 and 11 Geo. 6 Transport Act, 1947, . 49--9s. 6d."
Reading between the lines I wonder just who is ordering s 16-year-old nationalization Act in such numbers as to tify a reprint. Theyare surely not all Rip Van Winkles aware that denationalization came in with the 1953 Act. But what isn't speculation is the price-1947, 3s.; 1963, 6d.--just an odd 216 per cent increase. How does that -npare with your net income, Mr. Haulier?
No Like Mother Made ?
RIVERS who complain that catering facilities on the motorways are too ritzy for their needs and not ficiently like the menu at Old Mother Wotsit's Kaff will w with some sympathy representations made by a lion of the workers at the David Brown gear plant in
iddersfield. .
When vending machines went into action in the works y offered a considerable variety of edibles—but no bread and dripping--a most popular snack at this establishment. Representations were made on the matter and supplies of that commodity quickly made their appearance. A need was certainly proved to exist. Now, I am told by Mr. Duncan Rodgers, publicity manager, average weekly sales run to hundreds.
Will It Come Here !
THE big American Greyhound long-distance bus concern must have been very disappointed with the results of an intensive market research campaign they held recently. The campaign, which included "depth interviews" (whatever they might be) revealed that on long journeys their passengers were just plain bored. Comics, convenience stops, and even the views available to passengers from their scenic-cruisers were apparently not enough to attract people to use their services,
A high proportion of Greyhound's passengers are servicemen, teenagers and elderly ladies. Someone decided that these groups were avid fans of sound radio. Working on this assumption the company is now planning to spend two million dollars fitting transistor radios above each seat in all its vehicles—a grand total of nearly 2,000!
The radios will work only through headsets, for which passengers are to pay 50 cents as they board the bus. Each headset will be collected and destroyed after use, because research has indicated that passengers would not be willing to use a headset that had been over someone else's ears. But Greyhound still expect to make a profit on the scheme !
Well Done, Cletus !
DRIVER Cletus C. Frank, of Thomasville, North Carolina, handling a Perkins diesel lorry for the first time in his life, took top honours in the 1963 National Truck Rodeo at Miami Beach, Florida.
Mr. Frank drove a White 1500 Compact powered by a Perkins 6,354 six-cylinder engine. He gained 490 out of a possible 530 points to recapture the national straight truck title he won two years ago when the rodeo was held in Detroit. In his actual driving test he scored 290 points, only 10 short of a perfect score!