L.T.E. Devising Incentives for Busmen : Talks With Union
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THE London Transport Executive believe that incentive bonus schemes for drivers and conductors can be devised, although there are many complicating factors. A proposal related to the central road services was discussed by officials of the Executive and representatives of the Transport and General Workers' Union in London last week and on Monday.
The object of incentives would be to improve the quality of the service to the public as well as increasing the earnings of the staff by payments by results. These would be based on extra effort and better wail.. The Executivealso consider that bonuses would. ease the present shortage of staff.
The object of the proposal has been described as being "to link crews more personally with the quality of service given on buses." As service concerns safety, regularity, correct observance of stops, proper fare collection.and courtesy, it is on these points that the bonus scherneonay be based. It would later be extended to Green Line coaches and country buses.
Busmen would receive, an initial bonus based on a target for the total fourweekly passenger receipts of central buses and trolleybuses. If revenues exceeded the targets, the excesses would be divided between the crews and the Executive in an agreed proportion.
The bonus would be reduced if receipts fell. Individuals would receive their share of increased receipts in direet proportion to their own individual bus takings. The bonus would be shared equally between driver and conductor.
Good Service Bonus •
The "quality of service" bonus would be paid to drivers and conductors in respect of the record attained by each garage for good service. Such factors as timekeeping on the road, covering of schedules and attendance, the standard of fare collection, avoidance of complaints from the public, and maintenance of service despite congestion would be taken into account.
Busmen who had to contend with heavy traffic congestion would be able to earn a bigger bonus. Staff would be asked to assist in measures to reduce disruption of services caused by congestion.
Individual bonuses would be paid to drivers for freedom from blameworthy accidents, and to conductors for freedom from passenger accidents.
The Executive state that operation of the scheme would initially involve some extra cost, but it is hoped that this would be progressively reduced and disappear altogether as the scheme produced increased receipts and savings in costs, TWO P.T.A. PAPERS
pAPERS will be presented to the 1 Public Transport Association's conference at Scarborough, frOm May 17-19, by Mr. R. A. Lovell, chief mechanical engineer of the Ministry of Transport, and Mr. H. Bottomley, general manager of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd.