Should More Stand in Buses?
Page 22
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SYMPATHY must be accorded to the thousands of people throughout the country who have to wait in long queues, and often for considerable periods, before finding accommodation on buses. Some may feel that they are being unduly penalized, that the vehicles should, at least during the rush hours, be allowed to carry more than the present limited number of standees, and that operators are not doing the best they can for them.
The position, of course, has been aggravated by two major factors, the abolition of the basic petrol ration, which could be returned, and the great increase in employment in all parts of the country made in connection with the production for export, regarding which little can be done beyond staggering working hours and thus spreading the load on public transport.
From the operators' point of view, it would be extremely difficult and probably unsound from economic considerations to increase the number of standing passengers. The vehicles are, in many instances, not fit to carry excess loads. Most of our buses are unsuited to carrying passengers except in seats, mainly for the reason that the conductor has great difficulty in squeezing past these standees to take the fares. When, during the war, more were allowed to stand, we know that many fares were not collected.
A return of at least part of the basic petrol ration would help the position considerably, but to endeavour to force more people on to the buses might lead to discontent amongst the conductors, which, in this case, would probably be supported by the union concerned.
If the 8-ft. bus came into general use there might be a little less objection to carrying a few more people; even the additional 6 ins, of width renders the work of the conductor much easier. By the time we have obtained sufficient of the larger vehicles, however, the position may have changed, and the transport facilities be sufficient to deal with the rising number of passengers. In any case, it would not be feasible to have differentiations in the number of standees as between one type of bus and another in the same service.