FINANCIAL WORKING OF GLASGOW'S MUNICIPAL FLEET
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Some Aspects of the Past Year's Working of One of the Largest Municipal Bus Undertakings A LTHOTJGH Glasgow Corporation ..ti_bas been operating motorbuses for only a comparatively short period, the first service having been started in December, 1.924, it has built up one of the largest municipal bus systems in the country and, at the end of May last, the municipality owned a fleet of 331 vehicles, 323 of that number comprising double-deckers, the type which is • chiefly
favoured being the 51-seater,. In the main Leyland vehicles are in service.
In the year ended May 31st last these vehicles were operated at a gross profit
of 192,000. the total income having amounted to £529,422 and working expenses to /437,422, but after neducting interest (113,502), sinking fund (18,656), income tax (£643) and depreciation (183,881) charges and adding 1220 for interest on investments, there is a deficit of 114,462 on the year's working. This figure compared with a surplus of £1,563 a year earlier, when
the gross profit amounted to £77,095 and sinking fund and other charges to 175,893 ; in that year the allowance for depreciation was £60,982. The rates of depreciation are 17i• per cent. for motorbuses and 10 per cent, for plant.
Reduced to a per-mile basis, traffic revenue amounted to 13.569d. and work ing expenses to 11.216d. Under the latter heading general repairs and maintenance cost £105,045, equivalent to an average of 2.694d. per mile, and power expenses 195,595, equal to an average of 2.451d. per mile.
During the. year the buses, which operate on a route mileage of 138.4, covered2.7.• e-..ggregate mileage of 9,359,773 and carried 74,165,657 passengers. The number of miles covered per day per bus was 140.13, the speed which each vehicle averaged being 10.98 m.p.h. The total capital expenditure
on the Glasgow bus system up to the end of May last was £676,100.
The bus department carries both the third-party risk and the employers' liability risk, funds having been established for these purposes. The balance • standing to the credit of these funds at May 31st, 1931, was £16,356.
During the past municipal year the extension to the Larkfield garage was opened.