CRITICISING THE ONE-MAN BUS OWNER.
Page 18
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ONE of the minor annoyapcee that operators of motor omnibus fleets serving holiday districts have to encounter is the competition by owners of vehicles of small seating capacity, who, it is alleged, endeavour to "skim the cream from the holiday crowds."
Unrestrained criticism of this class of owner is usually unjustified. Often enough ill-equipped financially, he tries to give a service from a town which is a mere calling place for one of the bigger companies, and, owning one vehicle only, runs it as often as the traffic load warrants. Occasionally, at busy times, he may overload, and, whilst this is a sore point to larger concerns who observe regulations, the small owner, appreciating the risk he has taken, half apologetically explains that it is only at week-ends there is a pressure of traffic, and that during the winter months it is doubtful if the undertaking B34 could be made to pay in such a scattered rural district.
More than once has the writer travelled in North Wales from a certain district remote from a railway station in an 18-seater bus, which, by the time it arrived at the journey end, picked up a load approaching 30 passengers. All the standing roam being occupied, passengers sometimes accommodated themselves by sitting on the entrance steps. But even that uncomfortable method of travelling was better than a nine-mile tramp. The sparse loads would not permit of the employment of another vehicle, and if a 28 seater vehicle were used, it is doubtful, on the day's running, if more than 30 per cent. to 40 per cent, of the available seats would be in regular use. Sometimes these local owners run the service as a side line to another business.
The accountancy methods adopted by
single owners of 10; 12, 14 or 18-seater• -vehicles may be open to question if the tests applied by a bigger concern were brought to bear, but how many of these men closely study that aspect? They are concerned with running the bus as a side line, and so long as it provides them with an occupation and a means of livelihood they are not much perturbed.
After all, it must be borne in mind that, in holiday districts, providing for the wants of holiday makers is only a three or four months' business at the most, and sufficient profit must be made during that period to cover the expenses of the year. Owners endeavour to make hay while the sun shines, and that is mainly in the holiday season. As for the winter services—well, often enough it is conceived to be better to run a modified service with small loads.