One voice: more results?
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The main reason for the formation of the Confederation of British Road Passenger Transport was the need for the bus and coach operating industry to speak with one voice on many fundamental issues, but few people have thought out just what this high-minded principle might mean in practice.
In an exclusive interview in CM last week, Mr George McKay, the National Bus Company's director of technical services, propounded the theory that there were important benefits to be gained in the areas of technical service and component quality. Although there are several technical committees in the trade associations none speaks with sufficient authority, Mr McKay feels, to command real attention from the manufacturers. Even the life of light bulbs is an area where there are substantial savings to be made if only manufacturers could be persuaded to provide what the industry wants. The mighty NBC, when speaking for itself, cannot apparently command sufficient attention on component design. It buys 10,000 heater motors a year, for example, but the manufacturer concerned produces 40,000 a week and is not keen to introduce modifications.
The long-term effects of real technical coordination in the bus industry could be the introduction of comprehensive standardization in both vehicles and components for the first time. The present bus standards grant procedure is felt to be inadequate In both the DoE and some large operators and a reform with real support from the industry could be welcomed on all sides.
The main obstacle to further co-ordination may be that many of the men involved will be those who run the present technical committees. If they cannot agree now, what hope is there for the future? One can only hope that with the new spirit of co-ordination in the air something really tangible, rather than a mere public relations gimmick, will emerge from speaking with one voice.