"I Carry the Traffic, But They Get the Money "—Bus Operator
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A PRIVATE bus operator complained tA to the Western Traffic Commissioners, on Monday. that a pool arrangement with the Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., had resulted in him carrying the traffic and the big company gettingpaid for it. He was Mr. K. B. Haybittel, of the Enterprise Bus Co., Ltd., Bridgwater, Somerset.
Enterprise and Western National were applying together for a variation to their licences covering services between Hinckley Point nuclear power station and Bridgwater.
For Western National, Mr. T. D. Corpe said the companies were granted the licences last January to run week-end services, but they had had a thin time and there was not enough work for two operators. Consequently, a pool arrangement had been made.
Running Non-pool Buses Mr. C. H. Preece, Western National's traffic manager, explained that this allowed his company 40 per cent, of the revenue and Enterprise 60 per cent. At the same time, both companies were running non-pool services, and now they both wanted to operate on Sundays— instead of alternate Sundays—and Saturdays. On the pool services, Western National's returns were 24d. per bus mile. and Enterprise's were .27d.
Mr. Haybittel described how Western National's pool buses often ran empty on Sundays, and said there was a danger of small concerns being swallowed up by the big companies.
Mr. S. W. Nelson, chairman: "They are finding it difficult to swallow you."
Mr. Haybittel said Enterprise were satisfied with the present arrangement. except that they were carrying the traffic while Western National were paid for it. People crowded on to Enterprise buses, yet Western National vehicles were standing empty.
c6 Mr. Nelson: "I wonder you did not go one further and call it the Private Enterprise Bus Co."
He pointed out that Western National always kept their undertakings, and the British Transport Commission would appreciate the position, so Enterprise had nothing to fear. He granted the applications, subject to a meeting with the power station contractors to ascertain the need.
£250,000 TANKER ORDER
THE fleet of the National Iranian Oil 1 Co. is to be augmented by 60 Leyland Super Hippo six-wheeled tankers to be used for fuel distribution. The contract is valued at £250,000.
The new vehicles will be powered by Leyland 0.680 oil engines developing 150 b.h.p. at. 2,000 r.p.m. The gross vehicle weight is 24 tons. The National Iranian Oil Co. already operate some 400 Leylands.