1 EXPRESS BUSES FOR PARIS.
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The First of a Fleet of New Single-deckers to be put into Service in the course of a Few Days.
THE long-promised non-stop omnibus services are to be put into operation in Paris from October 1st next. The express buses have been almost as slow in making their appearance as the famous Monoplace taxis. The latter, it may be mentioned, appear to be doing very well so far as getting fares is concerned. One seldom sees them idle, and the number in service is constantly increasing.
The Paris express omnibuses were described and illustrated in The Commercial Motor some six months ago. They are front-entrance single-deckers, carrying no conductor, as the driver collects the fares. At present 15 of the new buses have been delivered out of the first contract for 30, and the remaining deliveries are being hurriedrforward.
Early last spring the T.C.R.P. (the Paris municipal omnibus concern) announced that some of the buses would be put into service for taking visitors out to the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games ended some six weeks ago, but the buses did not put in an appearance, and beyond running about Paris loaded with sandbags or giving occasional joy-rides to parties of officials, nothing was seen or heard of them until about a week ago, when a few were put on the road to supplement the very fine motor coaches with which the T.b.R.P. run excursions to Fontainebleau, etc., during , the summer tourist season.
The first regular express Plantes which are to be started in October will be from Passy to the Place de la Bourse, and from the Place Saint Michel to the Gare Saint-Lazare. The buses are 25-seaters, carrying one class of passenger only and the fares will probably he one franc for the complete journey.
South Shields Bus Losses.
In consequence of continued losses sustained on the municipal buses operated in the South Shields neighbourhood, the fate of the services hung in the balance at the last meeting of the South Shields Town Council. Figures produced showed that in 1921 the loss on the buses was 23,100, in 1922 21,500, and during the last financial year 21,621. A section of the council thought that, in view of these losses, the best course was to discard the buses and to allow private enterprise to supply the needs of the travelling public.
The tramways manager told the council that it could not expect to make the buses a paying proposition unless fares were revised. Against the proposal to discard the buses it was pointed out that such a course would be a shortsighted step, for the route joining up I3olden Colliery and South Shields would be one of the strongest factors in favour of the proposed expansion of the borough boundaries to take in Boldon, whilst it was urged that an indirect benefit was obtained in the way, of money spent in local shops by people brought into the town by the vehicles.
Eventually the annual financial statement was adopted without action being taken in the way suggested, the hope being expressed that next year's accounts might show a more satisfactory position.