One-man Operation to Reduce Costs
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FOR two distinct reasons, Continental bus operators are turning to the one manoperated single-decker. In Sweden, a sharp rise in the wages of platform staffs has' recently been enforced, and in The Hague, Holland, there is an acute shortage of staff. Both these problems are being solved in the same way—by reducing operating staff. Swedish concerns are turning to 70-passenger single-deckers, which are worked by one man during slack periods and carry a conductor only at peaks. British operators, faced with steadily mounting costs and shortage of staff in heavily industrialized areas, may be forced to ,adopt a similar expedient. Already, Glasgow Corporation is experimenting with a single-decker carrying approximately equal numbers of seated and standing passengers. Such a vehicle would be capable of one-man operation. at least during off-peak periods. Other municipalities are interested in the idea. Huddersfield Corporation is seeking to solve the staff problem by running experimentally single-deckers carrying 43 seated passengers and controlled by one man. If the present level of fares is to be maintained, drastic economies must be effected. The one-manoperated bus is an obvious expedient. It offers the possibility not only of reducing costs but of curtailing overtime working, which in some cases must necessarily be heavy if the public is adequately tote served. A delicate question is involved. The matter must obviously be put with tact to works committees. It must be clearly explained that unless the steep rise in costs can be checked, a further increase in fares is inevitable, and it will affect the standard of living of everyone, including that of bus workers' families. The spiral of costs has now passed beyond control and only the sacrifice of hitherto sacred principles will prevent economic disaster.
The underfloor-engined single-decker provides the key to the problem of operating one-man vehicles. It enables almost as many passengers to be carried as in a double-decker, but greatly simplifies control. Ideally, it should have a front entrance and a rear exit for use when the driver is in sole charge, and a central doorway which would serve as an entrance when a conductor was employed. This solution would probably be impracticable in the 30-ft. vehicles allowed in Great Britain, but a two-door bus would be satisfactory. The front door could serve both as an entrance and exit when the driver was working solo, and the rear door could be used as an entrance and the front door as an exit when a conductor was carried.
One-man working has great advantages on rural routes, as well as in urban areas at off-peak periods. It must inevitably extend if the economics of road passenger transport are to be kept within reasonable bounds.