THE BOOM IN CHARS-A-BANCS.
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Developments in a Branch of the Industry Which Has Received a Great Stimulus Since the War.
The Need for Organization. EASTER SAW the ccenmeneement of the char-a-bancs season, and although it will probably be,some weeks before matters get properly into their stride Eastertide showed to what extent this branch of the transport industry is likely to grow. The number of vehicles an the road will continue to increase just as fast as manufacturers are able to fulfil orders, and manufacturers will continue to make vehicles until those who are cencerneeqwitli running them realize that there are sufficient on the road tn supply the demands of passengers. Fleets are 'being built up all over the cOuntry, and, what were merely owner-driver concerns at.-'the beginning of. last. year, now employ a staff of men., To carry on a concern sendingyout a number of chars-I-banes is a comparatively simple matter, provided running costs are ascertained with some degree of accuracy: As competition increases with the increase its the number of vehicles, management difficulties will augment, because there is certain to be
a reduction in profits. Consequently, the concern which knows exactly what its expenses are tor a particular piece of work, and also reduces its standing charges to the minimum, will not only make the best profits while profits are high, but. will also be the best able to adjust its evisition to meet the demands caused by cnanged circumstanees.
• To do this requires some central organization quite distinct from the personnel -actually required to run the vehicles and to keep them in proper. running Order. With the building up of fleets, it is, usually, the custom to engage men as they are required and, generally, to set, on a. man. or two, as
• new vehicles arrive. In adopting this
• course, the necessity for having any central organization whatever is often overlooked, and the proprietor does the administrative portion of the affairs of the concern, in conjunction with a host of other duties, until his work becomes too burdensome. Then it i.s found that the duties he has been doing are a such complicated nature that it is" almost impossible to initiate an outsider into the intricacies of the -work, especially in the midst of a season's activities.
Those concerns width are anticipating an expansion of business of any dimengone would be well advised, therefore, if they now took into consideration the appointment of what might be described as a non-technical staff, of adequate size to meet with the demands of the business. In this way there is somebody me,de responsible for the innumerable bits of work, which niake for smooth running of a business but are now left for that. slack time which .so seldom comes.
For businesses which are setting up such a department there will, probably, be only one man required at first, but, in these circumstances, care should be taken to select a man with suitable qualifications. His work will be varied, and a man having merely clerical qualifications will be only partially successful. Naturally, one of his duties will be the usual clerical work of a business concern such as dealing with the correspondence and the keeping of the accounts but he should also show organizing abilities. he checking and prompt ordering of the stores, and the recording of orders received and work done Would be included in his work, but, if a man of ability and adaptability .could be found for the position, it would be a mistake not to allow him sufficient scope. On account of the additional grist the work of such a man would bring to the mill, through the smooth working of the business,. and the relief provided to other members of the concern, a good salary ought to be paid.
The Chara-bancs at Hunt Races.
After a lapse of six Years the point, to-point races in connection with the various hunts all over the, country are being revived. Even before the war these events attracted very large crewels of people, and char-a-basics and brake proprietors had a heyday of business, reaping a bountiful harvest. Most of the meetings are taking place during the present month, and as nearly every meeting is being revived, there is scarcely a district in the whole country covered by a hunt and a pack of foxhounds that has not its point-to-point meeting.
Large numbers of chars-i-bancs are being employed ler the conveyance of all sorts of passengers out to enjoy them'selves in connection with the local hunt
• races; fact, there does not appear to be a sufficient number of vehicles available for the job, for, at present, pro prietors have barely enough to meet what might be called.. regular needs. However, many thousands are being used, and we have seen quite a large number on the road, with the bare chassis and improvised body arrangements as seats, so great is the demand on the conveyances for the purpose.
The meetings are all held during April, as early as possible after the close of the hunting season. Every county is favoured with three for four of these events, and, coming all in one month,
one can easily understand the rush that is involved. With Easter, it may be said that the hunt races commence the char-a-bancs season. And, not only are hunting people, farmers, and betting folk interested, but the general public find great attraction in attending.
From our point of view., the matter of first-rate importance is that the courses where these races take place are, in the majority of cases, situated in out-of-theway places, where train servioes are had, and, very often, five to ten miles from the railway station. As a consequence, a considerable amount of business is done in plying between the course and the railway stations, in addition to the services run, between different points from the neighbouring towns. The work is all over in a. month ; there is a good dead of it, and, always a popular event, the local race is being witnessed by a larger crowd than ever.
Char-a-bancs Operations in Herefordshire.
Herefordshire is not a county of high wages and big salaries ; its principal industry is agrieulture, therefore one might almost imagine that there would not be much scope in the county for the char-bsbancs. But that is not true. Although it has been stated by garage proprietors that the absence of any number of industrial workers earning 24 to 27 a week. puts a definite cheek upon the possibilities of any contemplated char-a-banns scheme, yet there is a big demand for char-Asbanc.s services nevertheless, and the fact that every owner has his vehicle in full use, points to this.
The principal work, low-ever, is con.' netted With the industrial centres of Monmouthshire and South Wales, bordering on the county. Herefordshire is truly rural, with many beauty spots, and this is the attraction for the industrial-townsmen from Abergavenny, Newport, Pontypool, and even -Cardiff and Swansea. The chance of a 'trip by road into the heart of rural Hereford is a temptation to which the fatigued would easily yield. The trip from Newport, Abergavenny, and Brynmawr, and even from Hereford city itself, to the renowned Wye Valley and Symonds Vat by road is simply great. The river and the cathedral at Hereford attract crowds of people from all partsb and many char-a-banes loads visited the city during Easter week. It was particularly noticeable that, among the visitors, a large number were miners. Many good runs were inaugurated from Hereford on Easter Monday to many parts of the country, including the point-to-point hunt, races of the North Herefordshire hounds on Easter Monday, and those of the Ledbury Hunt at Redmarley, in Worcestershire on April 8th. Messrs. Fryers of Hereford, have opened a char-5,-bLcs pleasure trip from Hereford to Symonds Yet with a new ,and well-equipped vehicle capable . of seating. 28. During the holidays trips to other well-known resorts, including Lla-ndrinclod Wells and Aberystwyth. "Red" Trips in Birmingham and District.
The district around [Birmingham 'is nearly all covered by the Birniingliam and Midland Company's red saloon buses and elotrs-ii-banes. Owing to the inclement weather the saloons have been more patronized than the chars-5,-bancs; in fact, these have all the time and on every route been, crowded . with passengers, who appreciate the comfort and shelter and protection afforded.
Frequent services are run from the Bull Ring to notable and beautiful places like Evesham, Broadway, Kenilworth, Leamington, Warwick, Stratfordon-Avon, -Knowle, Alvechurch, Henleyin-Arden, Drottwich, Worcester, Pershore, Upton-on-Severn, Malvern Ombersley, Bewdley, Stourporto Malvern, • Lichfield, Shipston-on-Stour, Bidford
on-Avon, and other places. Chars-abanes have been chartered by special parties, and trips, have also been made to the pretty country around Stratford
on-Avon and Warwick. '
Very cheap trips by new motor charsA,--bancs have been conducted by the 'Beaufort Garage of Ladywood Road,' Birmingham, to Stourport and Holt Fleet on the river Severn, and a, circular tour of 75 miles was made on Easter Monday for 81 per head, and on Tuesday for 15s. 6d. Fortunately, the weather in that part of the globe was fine on the Monday and Tuesday, with the country bathed in spring sunshine, and looking its best.