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Order Out of Chaos Bus Operation

26th February 1954, Page 136
26th February 1954
Page 136
Page 137
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Page 136, 26th February 1954 — Order Out of Chaos Bus Operation
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

by Andrew Seacombe

BRITISH commercial enterprise, which last year, came to the rescue of the travelling -public of Kingston, Jamaica, is creating order out of chaos in road passenger transport there. Drastic measures have had to be taken, including the purchase of a -complete new fleet of British buses, and the evolution, almost overnight, of a system of operation and maintenance in

accordance with the best British traditions.

This task has been taken on by Jamaical5mnibus Services, Ltd., a local company formed early last summer by the British Electric Traction Co., Ltd., United Transport Co., Ltd., and Close Bros., Ltd., London financiers. The company, which has an authorized share capital of 1500,000, is autonomous, and has Mr. H. Weedy, late general manager of City of Oxford Motor Services, Ltd., as a director and general manager.

Other local directors are Mr. G. McCauley, a Jamaican with substantial transport interests in the island, and Mr. W. MacLurg, of the Jamaican Broadcasting Corporation. Directors in Britain are Mr. W. T. James (chairman), a director of the B.E.T., Mr. J. H. Watts, managing director of United Transport Co., Ltd., and Maj. E. H. Marley, a director and general manager of Close Bros., Ltd.

The predecessors of J.O.S. were Jamaica Utilities, Ltd., to whose 810 managing director, Mr. H. J. G. Lindsay, a native of the island, the Jamaican Government granted in 1947 a 21 -year franchise permitting his company to operate exclusively all bus services in the 37 sq. mile corporate area of Kingston and St.

Andrew. A fleet of 80 vehicles, made up of rear-engined American White, Diamond T and Leyland Comet buses, was employed.

The White buses were bought with the aid of the Government for £250,000 worth of dollars at a time when the United Kingdom was going through a particularly bad spell of dollar starvation. It was argued at the time that no,„13ritish manufacturer could promise reasonable delivery, but one would have thought it would have been possible to wait a little longer for suitable British vehicles.

Quite apart from.dollar economy— which at that time was declared to be of profound consequence for the Commonwealth—it was also a matter of local economy, for the American vehicles' fuel consumption alone, at the rate of about 2-3 m.p.g., was a

sufficiently gbod reason in itself for patience to have been exercised.

These buses were licensed for 64 passengers, but in rush periods they carried any number up to 140, and this in a tropical climate. It is small wonder that people unfortunate enough to get a rear seat were often overcome by the heat.

In time, although the buses were all first-class vehicles, breakdownswith their consequent drastic effect on running schedules—became the rule rather than the exception. because mechanical maintenance hardly existed. A graphic illustration of this was provided by an informant who told me that to safeguard themselves, it became a regular occurrence for passengers travelling, say, a 6d. journey to book a 3d. fare for the first stage and pay again half-way.

Duty Under Franchise

Obviously, this sort of thing could not continue. The operator had a duty under the franchise to provide a reasonable and adequate service— which was not fulfilled—so the Government granted an emergency .licence to another, and smaller, operator, to assist Jamaica Utilities in the maintenance of their schedule.

But even this arrangement did not give full satisfaction, and various interests in the island began to put out feelers for the service to be taken over by a more experienced operator. In the autumn of 1952, negotiations began between the Jamaican Government and the British interests which led to the formation of J.O.S.

In fairness to Jamaican Utilities, it hould he pointed out that the condiions of their franchise did not :ncourage healthy development, and he British promoters made it clear hat they could not consider the pro)osition unless their terms were less estrictive.

This, of course, necessitated the ntroduction of new legislation, and mendments had to be incorporated n the Public Passenger Transport Corporate Area) Law, 1947, and the toad Traffic Law, which are the amaican counterpart of our Transmart Acts. The fact that the amendtents had a smooth passage through Lie House of Representatives mphasizes the anxiety which the iovernment felt on the subject.

Stifling Regulation

Another stifling regulation to which le British promoters could not gree provided for a system of dual ontrol under which the operator was zsponsible to two public authorities, le Island Traffic Authority and the 'ublic Passenger Transport Control bard (the equivalent of our Licensig Authorities). Legislation has now ested sole control in the Board.

A major difficulty, and one which Duld not be removed, was a condion embodied in the existing -anchise which required any succesnto Jamaica Utilities, Ltd., to :quire the undertaking lock, stock Id barrel. Jamaica Utilities' material ;sets were not an attractive proposion to a progressive operator.

A yard in West Street comprised

the only premises available. to a successor. The " buildings " in this yard, in which all the facilities were housed, closely resembled a shanty town, and the thick layer of oil and grease on which the vehicles stood was not conducive to long tyre life.

Apart from the shocking condition of most of the vehicles, which, when they needed major repairs, had been left to deteriorate for lack of facilities and skilled workers, the remaining ones still in running order were not an economic proposition to an oilengine user. This, then, was the situation with which prospective successors were faced.

Agreement on the turns of the franchise—which must, stressed the British promoters, be granted for a period of not less than 50 years—was reached early in 1953, and Jamaica Utilities' monopoly was revoked. Negotiations for the purchase of the latter's "assets " were then set in motion, and in order that there would be no question about the reasonableness of the price, these were conducted through the Government. The acquisition, which was not completed until December, left J.O.S. holding the entire fleet of vehicles, the bulk of the spares, the available premises and the staff.

Nearly £300,000 was spent on a fleet of new British oil-engined vehicles, consisting of 36 Leyland Royal Tigers and 22 M.C.W.-Leyland Olympic chassisiess buses. Wey mann's Ltd., built 36-seat 30-ft. long bodies on 21 of the Royal Tigers.

The remaining 15 Royal Tigers have bodywork by MetropolitanCammell-Weymann, Ltd., and these. like the Olympics, are 35 ft. long and have seats for 44 passengers. All have an entrance at the front and an exit just forward of the rear axle.

The first 39 were delivered in time for the inaugural day of Jamaica Omnibus Services, Ltd., early in December, and the remainder arrived in January.

New Depot Being Built

A 10-acre site was acquired on a new industrial estate near the harbour front, where work began in November on building workshops, stores and administrative offices, which are expected to be ready before the end of summer_ A concreted patch was quickly laid, on which the vehicles are temporarily accommodated. A roofless garage will be built eventually.

As the new vehicles were the first underfloor oil-engined buses to be seen in Kingston, the authorities' reaction to the front overhang was one of mild consternation, and Jamaica Omnibuses had difficulty in persuading the Government that they would be perfectly safe in the city's generally narrow streets.

Traffic is chaotic. The main reasons al 1 are an apparent absence of control of street parking, the multiplicity of hand carts which enterprising natives use to carry parcels for shopkeepers, and fuRerals. The Government has, however, promised to do something about the congestion which plays havoc with bus schedules.

Only about a third of the 37 sq.. miles in the corporate area—representing a population of nearly a im. --is provided with services 'by J.O.S. The remaining two-thirds is mainly inaccessible and only sparsely populated. Some 15 services radiate from Parade Gardens in the city's business centre, not far from the sea front.

Numerous small operators ply between Kingston and towns and villages in the interior, but under the terms of their franchise Jamaica 'Omnibuses have been given the right to attach conditions to the licences held by these "market service " operators, as they are termed.

34-m. Miles a Year The 58 new buses are sufficient to maintain the city's normal scheduled .Services, but some of the White buses are used to augment, services in peak periods which, in the morning, last from 7.30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and in the evening, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Whites will eventually be replaced by British vehicles. Annual mileage is expected to be approximately _ Female conductors are employed on all the buses. Nominally, fares are at the rate of approximately lid. a mile, but the minimum is 3d., rising ,in 3d. stages. Provision has been

made in the new legislation for Jamaica Omnibuses, should they wish to do so, to introduce fares.based on mileage instead of the existing zonal system, but before they can do this they will have to obtain the approval of the Public Passenger Transport Control Board.

Since Mr. Weedy went out to Jamaica a few months ago, he has been followed by three other men from B.E.T.-controlled undertakings, who have been appointed to execu tive positions in the new company.

• They Are Mr. D. E. Eyres, cost accountant and secretary', who was assistant secretary of Southdown Motor Services, Ltd., Mr. C. S. Richardson, traffic assistant, late Crosskeys area manager of the Western Welsh Omnibus Co., Ltd.. and Mr. P. Wood, engineering assistant, formerly with the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd. An English foreman fitter will be in charge of the workshops.


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