Fair Rates For P.s.v.
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Group Members
JOINT REPRESENTATION IN THE TRAFFIC COURTS AND IN NEGOTIATING CONTRACTS HAS STRENGTHENED THE BARGAINING POSITION OF OPERATORS' ASSOCIATIONS IN SOUTH SHROPSHIRE
THE Shropshire Omnibus Association Ltd., of Oaken gates, has been described as unique by various licensing authorities, and by all accounts it has been credited with this distinction from time to time since it was founded in 1930. Although takeovers have, since my last visit to Oakengates in 1953, reduced the number of member cornpanics by some 20 per cent, the S.O.A. has further consolidated its already strong position and has expanded its service to the travelling public.
In the words of Mr. H. Tranter, of Oxford Street, Oakengates, who has been secretary of the Association since 1950, the S.O.A. is still the same, only more so. If the Association had held its own statically against opposing forces over the years, Mr. Tranter could have claimed the outcome a personal achievement; in the opinion of members with whom I have discussed their secretary's work, the "more so" has raised this achievement to the level of a personal triumph.
There have been cases of internal discord and disagreement, but a blending process has been continuously at work and the secretary has provided the catalytic agents. He has had occasion to be astute, patient and forceful, all on
the same day and on repeated days, and thus encouraged to work out their differences, members have (in a typical case). presented a united front in the traffic court with no dead wood left around-to encumber the proceedings.
It will be recalled (The Commercial Motor, August 28, 1953) that nine. years ago, the 15 S.O.A. members ran a rota service in conjunction with Midland Red (in friendly rivalry) on services between Wellington and St. George's via Oakengates and between Wellington and Donnington via Trench, a distance of about 4.5 miles, in each case. The ratio of members' vehicles to buses operated by the Midland Red company was approximately 21 to 1, each vehicle completing a similar running schedule in a period of three months. Today, nine "rota members operate these routes on the same basis, but the ratio has been increased to about 3.5/4 to 1 and vehicles operate at a higher frequency at rush periods, notably on market days (Thursdays and Saturdays), the frequency varying over the week from 5 min. to 15 min. Apart from Sundays, the services are continued from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The Wellington-Donnington route is operated by Smith's Eagle Coachways Ltd., of Trench. Martlew and Sons. Donnington Wood, A. T. Brown, of Trench, and H. Brown and Sons, Donnington Wood, whilst the . Wellington-St. George's route is operated by G. Cooper and Son, Oakengates, R. A. Price, J. W. Jones and Sons, J. Williams, Wrockwardine Wood, and J. Jervis, Wellington. Mr. T. G. Smith, Mr. A. T. Brown, Mr. R. G. Cooper and Mr. J. Jervis are founder members of the Association, who still take an active part in the operation of their fleets.
Largest operator in the area, Mr. Cooper' and his son Mr. D. A. Cooper, run 20 vehicles, whilst some of the smaller concerns run four to five vehicles, seating capacities varying between 33 and 51. The remaining seven members of the Association co-operate with the nine rota members in operating excursions and tours on a 86hedule that was formulated -early in 1961 after a series of conferences with the Midland Red company and British Railways. Licences were granted in the summer of that year, and it is noteworthy that the majority include London as a destination centre. Additional members comprise Thomas Hoggins and Sons, Wrockwardine Wood, Jack Ashley and Son, Dawley, A. L. Jones and Co. Ltd., Ironbridge, and Mr. H. Elcock and Sons, also of Ironbridge. As an indication of picking-up-point grants, five operators are licensed to pick up passengers in Oakengates, four in Wellington and four in Donnington.
Some five years ago, the Contract Services Association was formed by members of the S.O.A. and Mr. Tranter was appointed secretary. G. H. Austin and Sons Ltd., Newport, and A. E. Greatrex Ltd., Stafford, are affiliated to this association, and co-ordinated representation has enabled fair rates to be stipulated for the carriage of school children and so on and for providing emergency services. Meetings with representatives of Shropshire County Council, the services, various football clubs and other bodies are normally arranged • in Mr. Tranter's office, and the scheduled charges are comparable with tours-andexcursions rates. As emphasized by Mr. Tranter, members are in competition with the Midland Red with regard to contract quotes, and whilst cut-throat inter-operator competition is eliminated, this ensures that rates are " fair " to the vehicle users as well as members.
Co-operation in the application for excursions-and-tours licences and the agreement on contract rates have been of great value to members in the economic operation of their fleets and in some cases the revenue derived from the services has enabled country stage-carriage services to be maintained (outside the jurisdiction of the S.O.A.) at subeconomic rates. For example, according to Mr. D. A. Cooper (son of Mr. George Cooper, the founder of the B34 company) it would be impossible to continue operation of the concern's two country services if it were not for the benefits derived from membership of the two Associations. Mr. Cooper considers that the work of the Contract Services Association has been the salvation of local operators and that "all the laurels go on Tranter ".
The Association is non-profit making, a fee being levied on members (mainly those operating the rota routes) to cover the cost of the secretarial work undertaken by Mr. Tranter and his staff. A snap decision is sometimes made by Mr. Tranter on his own initiative without consultation with the operators concerned, and judging by members' tributes, he hasn't been wrong yet. Although agreement is generally reached before a joint application is made in the traffic court, it is occasionally necessary to present a case in which a "disagreement on principle' is included. In the event, however, it is normally possible to reduce the terms of disagreement before the court proceedings to a simple definition.
It is anticipated that Dawley will be designated a New Town in the near future and that, after a planning period of two years, the population will increase at the rate of 15,000 a year to a total of approximately 90,000. Dawley New Town will spread to the outskirts of Oakengates and will more than double the population of the base operating area of the S.O.A. Mr. Tranter and Association members are, however, confident that co-ordinated effort will again enable them to obtain a fair share of the traffic.
The Cooper company is standardizing on Bedford vehicles and have ordered two VAL 52-seater coaches to augment the 12 Bedford Duple 41-seaters and a number of older Crossley 33-seat buses in the existing fleet. The 300-cu.-in. engines of the Bedfords afford a fuel consumption of 17-18 m.p.g. compared with an average of 9 m.p.g. obtained with the Crossleys. The vehicles also provide a saving in tyre costs, the average life of the covers being 40,000-50,000 miles.
A slightly more favourable consumption (18-20 m.p.g.) is claimed by H. Brown and Sons for three Bedford .41seater buses in the concern's fleet of 11 vehicles, one of the Bedfords being fitted with a 330-cu.-in. engine. This company is also standardizing on Bedfords following successful operation of Sentinel underfloor-engined vehicles, some of which have covered well in excess of 350,000 miles. According to the type of route, the Sentinels average 14-18 m.p.g.
In contrast to these concerns, Smith's Eagle Coachways is, in the main, continuing to operate heavier vehicles on all types of service. Of the 15 buses and coaches in the fleet, 11 are new A.E.C. Duple-bodied 36-footers with a width of 8 ft. 2f in. and a seating capacity of 57. The remaining vehicles comprise two Bedford and two Daimler 4I-seaters.