POPULAR MUNICIPAL BUSES AT CARDIFF
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Nearly 16 Million Passengers Used the Corporation's Buses in the Past Year ALTHOUGH a gross profit of £22,887 was made on the operation of the buses of Cardiff Corporation in the year ended March 31st, 1932, there was a loss of £2,028 on the system after meeting interest and sinking-fund charges of £20,177 (less earnings in excess of requirements, etc.), and special expenditure of £4,739, the latter having
been mainly concerned with payments in respect of bus purchases. The gross profit showed an increase of £191 over that for the previous year, when the net profit was £1,034; the net loss in the year 1929-30 was £9,655, the gross profit being £13,385. During the past year the total bus revenue amounted to £190,954 and working expenses to £168,067. On a perbus-mile basis income amounted to 11.68d., whilst expenditure was 10.28d., the main disbursements under the latter heading being traffic expenses 5.49d. (489,760), power expenses 1.37d. .(4,28,268), cost of general repairs and maintenance 1.50d. (£24,548), and general expenses 1.02d. (£16,668).
During the year the buses covered a total mileage of 3,924,221, this figure being higher than the previous year's return by 335,149, whilst the number of Passengers carried was 15,752,645. The average " eost per passenger per mile for the buses was 2.97d., the average number of passengers per busmile being 4.01 and the average fare paid per passenger 2.86d. An interesting sidelight on operating costs is re vealed by the fact that for every pound received the amount paid in wages was 10s.. 4d.
The debit balance of the appropriation account at March 31st, 1931, was 426,394, and the excess of expenditure over income transferred from the net revenue account for the past year increases to 128,423 the debit balance to be carried forward.
The total of the capital account has been reduced during the past year by £14.862, bringing the total on the account down to £175,050. The capital raised amounts to £169,727, leaving a debit balance of £5,323. Cardiff Corporation has been operating buses since December, 1920, and at the end of March, 1932, it possessed 106 vehicles, comprising 86 Dennis (40 doulie-deckers), 11 Thornycroft (five double-deckers), four Bristol, three Albion, a Crossley double-decker, and a Leyland double-decker. During the 12 complete years of operation of the corporation's bus fleet a profit has been shown over six separate 12 months.
The general manager and engineer of the tramways and motors department of Cardiff Corporation is Mr. William Forbes, who has frequently been congratulated on the excellent results.