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BUS OPERATORS

3rd August 1956, Page 50
3rd August 1956
Page 50
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Page 50, 3rd August 1956 — BUS OPERATORS
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

versus the RI By John F. Moon,, A.M.I.R.T.E.

The 'Western Australian Stare Government have approved the formation of a single authority to operate , all metropolitan passenger transport undertakings. Some 'of' the reasons for this decision are made obvious in the j011owing article, which outlines the operation of a Government and a private undertaking.

REGARDED by resident and visitor alike as one of the most friendly and pleasantly situated cities in the Commonwealth of Australia, Perth, the capital of Western Australia, is also a battlefield for conflicting kinds of transport and transport undertaking.

As in nearly every other city in the world, the various passenger-transport concerns in Perth are fighting an uphill battle against the private car, but equally fierce competition is arising from the railwaYs. This stems from the suburban railcar services running between Perth, Fremantle and Midland Junction. The railcars have proved extremely popular with passengers, because the fares are reasonable, time-keeping is good ahd services are frequent, and they have particularly affected the private operators running between Perth and Fremantle. .

. All transport in the city and its surrounding areas is the prime responsibility of the State Government Transport Board. The Board regulate the issue of operating licences, the routes to be served and fares. New services can be run only with the approval of the Board and, similarly, unremunerative services cannot be withdrawn without their permission.

The principal services in Perth are provided by the Western Australian Government Tramways undertaking, although there are several private operators working within the same area, but along different routes.

The Government services had their origin in the formation, in 1899, of Perth Electric Tramways, Ltd. This was a private company and ran its first tram down Hay Street, which is still the main street of the city. This concern's interests were taken over in May, 1913, by the State Government, who operated the system under the Commissioner of Railways.

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Not until 1933 was any deviation from an all-tram fleet made. TrolleYbuses were then introduced, to be followed by motorbuses in 1940. In 1949, the management of the undertaking was vested in a general manager, Mr. J. H. Napier.

Within five years it is proposed to abandon trams in Perth and within 15 years all trolleybuses will be abolished. It is not hard to see why this should he when reference is made to last year's report. A deficit of £1.88,615 was incurred during 1955, compared with -one of £156.912 in 1954. In the report. Mr. Napier states that "as long as it is necessasy to operate vehicles propelled by electric tractive power, With a crew of two men, little in the way of easement of expenditure can he obtained."

This statement is backed by figures which show that for tractive power and fuel supplied, costs per mile were: Trams, 7.9d,; trolleybuses, 5.68d.; and tnotorbuses, 2.52d. These figures are equivalent to a loss of 4.15d. per mile incurred by electric vehicles as against a profit of 0.31d. per mile for motorbuses.

To combat rising costs, trams and trolleybuses cease running at 7 p.m. each weekday, and over each week-end

from 1.30 pan. on Saturdays. During these " nonelectric " periods, one-man motorbuses are operated.

Perth's electric fleet consists of 40 trams and 90 trolleybuses (40 Leyland and 50 Sunbeam). There are 127 motorbuses, of which all but 14 have oil engines. The 14 petrol-engined vehicles are Bedford and the remainder of the fleet consists of A.E.C., Austin, Daimler, Dennis, Guy, Leyland, Mack, Morris-Commercial and Reo. vehicles. The largest number of any make is 50 Guy Arabs.

Freelines as Replacements All these buses are single-deckers, with an average seating capacity of 44. An order has recently been placed for 20 Daimler Freeline underfloor-engined chassis, which will be used as replacements and to meet future demands.

The operational district covered by the undertaking is 41 sq. miles and is mainly flat, The main traffic centre is Perth itself and all routes originate and radiate from the city centre. There are 31 routes, covering a total mileage of 161, of which the trams run 11 miles and the trolleybuses 22 miles.

Peak periods provide a major obstacle to successful operation. The evening and the morning peaks entail the use of the whole fleet, whereas for 10 hours of the 19-hour traffic day; 60 per cent, is idle. As peak periods coincide with the maximum road traffic density, it is almost impossible to adhere to timetables.

Other problems confronting the undertaking are narrow main streets, inconsiderate kerbside parking and the lack of adequate bridging of the Swan River, there being only one at present, with another at the proposal stage. Housing developments in remote areas are a further handicap, making it obligatory to operate nonpaying services.

Nevertheless, the private motorist is responsible for most of the undertaking's economic difficulties. Last year, for instance, slightly under 35m. passengers were carried, compared with 43m. in 1950. Over the same period, the annual mileage increased from 51m. to 61m. Under such conditions, the undertaking can see no way of reducing the operating loss other than by again increasing fares and imposing greater restrictions upon car parking in the city c14

Fares are based on a sliding scale. Stages average a mile each; two cost 6d., four 10d. and six Is. A maximum fare of 7d. is charged until 8.30 a.m. on weekdays. Disabled Servicemen, blind persons and staff travel free. Concessions for schoolchildren and university students are made. A hand ticket-issuing

system is employed throughout the undertaking.

On an average, a fifth of the traffic staff leaves every.

year, compared with a 4-per-cent. turnover among the depot personnel. Nevertheless, the staff position is generally satisfactory. All candidates must pass a

medical examination before being engaged and personnel may contribute to a State superannuation scheme and a

sick and provident fund.

There is only one garage—known as a "car barn"

in Western. Australia—and this is in Hay Street East, at the north-western end of the Causeway. Here all vehicle maintenance is carried out along conventional lines.

The general plan of maintenance consists of top overhauls at 50,000 miles, piston withdrawals at 100,000 miles and major chassis and body overhauls at 200,000 miles. Each vehicle has its own history card.and regular routine maintenance procedures are followed. A metallizing plant for reconditioning components yields

appreciable economies.

In direct contrast to the Government undertaking,

Metro Buses Pty., Ltd., were able last year to show a net profit of £41,240. This has been maintained despite the normal annual payments of 4.8 per cent. of the gross income in pay-roll and income taxes and 5.2 per cent. (£41,000) as Transport Board fees, which are extracted from all private operators for road maintenance and

administration costs.

As Metro Buses have little say in where they may run, or how much they may charge, it is a tribute to the efficiency of the organization that they are still able to keep their heads above water.

Origin in 1926 The company stems from the formation, in 1926, of the Metropolitan Omnibus Co., Ltd., which was an amalgamation of several private operators running between Perth and Fremantle. Thirty-one old 25-seaters, mainly American, were involved. The Metropolitan Board consisted of seven members, and the general manager, who was Mr. G. David, chose to standardize on a Leyland fleet and to dispose of the chars-a-bancs. Accordingly, 21 Lioness buses were bought, to be followed by 10 Lions, thus replacing the original fleet.

Further amalgamations took place in 1937 when a Perth-Fremantle route running along the south of the Swan River, and an 18-mile service between Perth and Armadale were taken over. Another amalgamation was in 1951 when the western services of Beam Transport, Ltd., were taken over. These consisted of a 35-mile metropolitan network and a 38-mile country service from Fremantle to Mandurah. In 1948, the name was changed to Metro Buses Pty., Ltd.,-and a parent company, known as Metro Industries, Ltd., was formed to control various subsidiaries, such as a spring works, an hotel business and Tourist Omnibus Services Pty., Ltd. Since 1926, revenue has risen from £55,000 to €600.000 a year.

The .fleet now totals 130 vehicles. . These comprise 52 Leyland front-engined buses, with a seating capacity varying from 32 to 42; 26 Leyland ROyal Tiger 48-seaters; five Leyland Royal . Tiger Worldmaster 48-seaters, and seven Dennis 42-seaters. The Dennis buses were taken over from the Beam undertaking. In addition,. there are 30 Bedford S-type petrol-engined 33-seaters, and 10 Bedford 0.B. Models with ,Perkins P6 engines. At the time of my visit, three Worldmaster buses were being bought and a further six were on order.

All Metro buses are arranged to carry standing passengers to the extent of 75 per cent. of the number of Seats. Thus, the Leyland underfloor-engined buses have a total capacity of 84 passengers. As on other Perth buses, there are pram hooks at the rear. Dunlopillo cushioning is used to reduce upholstery maintenance. Swedish Cambio change-issuing machines are installed in 50 of the buses.

The whole fleet is suitable for either one-man or twoman operation, but the principal two-man services are run solely between Perth and Fremantle. At terminal points, during peak periods, fares are collected before passengers board the buses.

Central Area of 50 Sq. Miles Metro Buses do not operate in the centre of Perth and there are two terminal points within a quarter of a mile of each other in St. George's Terrace. The area covered by the central services is approximately 50 sq. miles. The main traffic is over the 12 miles between Perth and Fremantle, and services run north and south of the river, the northern service being in direct competition with the railcars. It seems likely, therefore, that the southern route will prove more profitable in time, especially as new houses are being built in the Mount Pleasant-Ardross Park area.

There are 17 routes totalling 198 miles. The longest (38 miles) is from Fremantle to Mandurah, and the shortest (nine miles) is from Cottesloe to Perth. The most frequent service is that maintained along the Canning Highway between Perth and Fremantle. where buses run every two minutes, • but on the 35-mile route from Perth to Jarrahdale there is only one bus per day.

Some 50 per cent. of the routes are remunerative. the unremunerative ones being relatively unimportant country services. The most profitable service is along the Canning Highway, on which an average of 8.000 passengers is carried each day, with 30 buses on the route during peak periods.

The main peaks occur on this service between 7 a.m. and 8.45 a.m., and 4.30 p.m. and 5.50 p.m. The Perth— Fremantle peaks are two-way, thete being industrial and residential districts in each area. Most of the other services suffer normal one-way peaks, but much trouble arises from the school services, because of the late

starting and early finishing times. Occasionally panic peaks are created by trotting meetings and football matches.

Mr. R. F. Carroll, A.M.Inst.T., assistant general manager, told me that the area was particularly favourable to bus operation, despite a slight bottleneck -on the Swan River Causeway. As no Metro services are run in the narroW (Me-way streets in the centre of Perth, the town congestion which is such a problem for the Governriient Tramways system does not exist.

Last year 12m. passengers were carried over 44-m. miles. Fares are based on mile stages and a minimum of 4d. for the first with 2d. steps up to 1s 2d. Thereafter fares advance by Id. per stage. Weekly tickets give a 20-per-cent. reduction and there are special half-fares for schoolchildren and corresponding concessions for workers. No other concessions are granted.

Four Depots for Metro The principal repair depot is at Fremantle, where there is also a large open-air garage housing 70 vehicles. Subsidiary depots are at Perth, Cottesloe and Armadale. All greasing is done at Perth, vehicles being taken out of service during the day for this purpose. The head office is also at Perth and is a striking building completed last November.

Each bus has its water, fuel and tyres checked daily, and engine-oil changes are made every 1,000 miles, the oil being reclaimed through Stream-Line filters and used again in engines. This reclaimed oil is regularly checked by Shell technicians to ensure a high standard.

At 35,000 miles top overhauls and general checks are given, during which all wheels are removed and the bearings hand-packed with fresh grease. It has been proved that pressure-packing the wheel-bearings may cause them to run hot and the brake facings to become greasy.

Major overhauls are normally carried out at 200,000 mile intervals, but the Worldmasters are comfortably doing 250,000 miles between overhauls, so the actual times for replacements are dictated by the oil-consumption rate of each engine. A float of spare units is kept and all unit reconditioning, including fuel-injection equipment repairs, is done by Metro Buses.

The company are experiencing the same trouble from private-car competition as is the Government undertaking, but they are loath to apply for fare increases. Mr. E. W. Adams, M.Inst.T., general manager, believes that operating costs must fit the revenue, and his principal answer is standardization on 48-seat underfloor-engined buses. Already all the Leyland vehicles in the fleet have 0.600 engines and spares holdings have been much reduced. The need for increasing the frequency of services is being kept down by the use of 84-passenger _vehicles, which can be run econoMically even during off-peak periods.


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