PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
Page 56
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
BUS RESULTS AT MANCHESTER. 1
Making Increasing Use of Motorbuses. i 1 The Latest Report of an Important Municipal Authority which is i
T.Nhe analysis of municipal bus ser...I_viees which we published in our b'Pecial Municipal Number dated May 24th, we showed that the authorities at Manchester had an extensive fleet of buses in regular useandthat their activities, in this direction were being extended hy the purchase of many new 32-seaters of Associated Daimler and Bristol makes.
The bus services in Manchester were inaugurated in 1914 and a number of routes is now in operation. One service, that between Cheadle Green and West Paint, was discontinued during the year ended March 31st last, consequent upon the opening of the Kingsway tramway. A new route between Lightbowne and Middleton Junction was instituted during this period. The total route mileage of the bus services in the city Was 39 at the end of March last, when the Manchester Corporation had 59 buses in use, comprising the following makes :-18 Daimler, 18 Karrier, 15 A.E.C., 6 Bristol and 2 Vulcan; 20 of them (15 A.E.C.a and 5 Daimlers) being double-deckers.
According to the recently issued report of the tramways committee to the city council, the buses covered a total mileage of 1450,880 in the period under review, as against 1,331,470 miles in the previous 12 months. The total number of passengers carried was 11,269,180, this figure showing an increase of 1,219,033 as compared with the figure for the year ended March 31st, 1926.
The debit side of the revenue account for the motorbuses shows that traffic expenses absorbed £39,431, the cost of
repairs' and maintenance £18,831, the purchase of petrol £12,329, and general expenses £8,538. The total working expenses thus amounted to £79,129, this amount being increased to £89,082 by adding interest (£3,624),' depreciation (M,120)• and sinking fund (f.209). The other side of the account shows traffic revenue at £82,139.
The total working expenses per busmile averaged 13.089d., and the traffic revenue per bus-mile 13.752d. The percentage of working expenses to receipts was 95.2, as against 93.3 in the preceding year.
The average fare charged per mile on the buses was 1.25741, the average distance travelled for 1(1.• being .79 miles. The aVerage fare paid per passenger was 1.77d. (.06 less than in the previous year), and the average number of passengers carried per bus-mile was 7.8, this return being based on the number of tickets issued,