SAWDUST SABOTAGE JOLT
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Luton one-man service has rough start
E FIRST one-man operated single-deckers to be introduced by Luton Corporation Transport, which entered service on July 2 (COMMERCIAL MOTOR, June 23) got off to a bad start.
Someone tried to sabotage the service by putting sawdust in the fuel tanks of the five new Bristol buses.
Earlier in the week there had been serious complaints about the late running of the buses, which were introduced on t he Lim bu ry/ Airport/Priestleys group of services. Delays of up to half-an-hour were alleged, slow boarding of vehicles due to passengers having to pay the driver, and late arrival at work. At one stage a petition to the Town Council to withdraw the new buses and reintroduce double-deckers was being considered.
But the sawdust sabotage shocked passengers—and there is now a much better feeling towards the new buses. And with passengers becoming familiar with them, a noticeable improvement in the services has taken place.
Meanwhile samples of the sawdust have been taken by the police for analysis.
Mr. R. M. C. Baschy, general manager of the transport department, said on Monday that the introduction of the new buses coincided with a fares increase, and much of the delay on boarding was due to this. By Wednesday, he said, it was "amazing" to see how many men and women were producing change before boarding the buses and how little time it took them to pay the driver.
Drivers of the new buses—all volunteers had to familiarize themselves not only with collection of the new fares, but also with the synchromesh gearboxes of the new Bristols. "The drivers have performed a wonderful job and seem determined to make the new service work."