Bird's Eye View
Page 55
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Tipper Pool ?
By The Hawk
W. NELSON, Western Licensing Authority, has
joined the advocates of interworking among hauliers. He suggested last week that, particularly in connection with quarry work, tipper operators might pool their traffic. Hauliers would register their vehicles with a central office and the need for a great deal of telephoning—of which Mr. W. A. Febry, an applicant for additional vehicles, had complained—would be eliminated. If this proposal were adopted, there might be fewer applications for additional tippers and the Western Traffic Area would lose some of its fame. Some of the operators would not like it, either.
He's Done It Again !
I HAVE lost count of the number of times that Mr. L. W. J. Hancock, editor of Perkins News, has won the Block and Anderson cup for the best house journal. He repeated his success again last year, and recently received the cup from Sir Miles Thomas, who, as an ex-Temple Press man, is well qualified to recognize a good journal when he sees it.
Laisser-aller
NAANY drivers of heavy vehicles will continue to please
themselves about speed after May 1, when the 20-m.p.h. limit comes off—officially. This is the opinion of various operators to whom l have spoken. In South Wales, last week, I sought the Views of a C-licensee, who told me that, normally, if he sent a vehicle on a long journey to a town which he mentioned, it would return at about 7 p.m. However, if Cardiff were playing at home on any day and the kick-off was at 5.30 p.m.. the driver would be back in time to go to the match,
"Whitaker, Todrnorden,"
ONE of transport's most colourful characters, Ald. J. H. Whitaker, vice-president of the Municipal Passenger Transport Association, last Saturday received the honorary freedom of Todmorden. He is now 71, but retains a vigour that would be admired in a much younger man. He is always first on the fostrum during discussions at M.P.T.A. conferences and his explosive introduction of himself as " Whitaker, Todmorden," heralds a flow of biting rhetoric.
He has been chairman of Todmorden Motor Buses Committee for nearly 37 years and since 1931 has alternated each year between the posts of chairman and deputy chairman of TodmOrden Joint Omnibus Committee. It is Significant that he was appointed chairman of the motor buses committee only a year after his election to the council and that saon afterwards the municipal passenger transport undertaking, then in its infancy, began to expand. He must have been a whirlwind in those days.
Suez Backwash
VEN the Suez crisis has proved to have had its good points, When Preston Town Council last week considered the reversion of the town's bus services to pre-Suez schedule's, and proposed changes in the light of the experience gained during the emergency period, it was revealed that off-peak services had originally been too frequent. In future, some busy routes that formerly had 7+-minute headways will have their frequency reduced to 10-minute intervals.
About Turn
LLIFE can be difficult for trade-union negotiators. Having stressed to the management of a road passenger undertaking in one town the hardships caused by spreadover turns, it must be a little trying to be met with a demand
for them by the men themselves in the next town. But perhaps the men need sympathy: their wives may have them on permanent household fatigues from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Telling the World
rOVENTRY'S road safety officer, Mr. Mervyn J. Miles, was last week appointed also public relations officer. As secretary of the national organizing committee of the Lorry Driver of the Year Competition he has done much (some unkind people might even say too much) to publicize Coventry's civic enterprise. If the city had not laid the foundations, there would probably be no national competition for lorry drivers. Mr. Miles' additional appointment is well merited
Chile Sauce
HOT Chilean blood was last week raised to boiling point by an increase in public transport fares. Santiago was in a state of siege and many people were killed or injured in riots. if Chile has a Hydrocarbon Oil Duties Act, it is undoubtedly 100, octane.