N.G.T. Records: Greater Economy
Page 47
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1pASSENGER and mileage records were broken in the past year, the chairman, Mr. W. T. lames, said at the annual meeting of the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., on Tuesday. The number of passengers rose by more than 5m. to a total of over 271m., mileage increasing by 1,124,000 to nearly 401m. These advances were attributed to last summer's fine weather.
During the year, £380,000 was spent on 91 new replacement vehicles, 41 of which were double-deckers and 11 were coaches Included in the replacement programme for 1956-1957 was a substantial number of vehicles specially designed for express work, which would be used on services to Coventry, Keswick, Manchester and Li verpool.
Three new services were introduced, and improvements were made on 20 existing routes.
Mr. James said that economies and improvements were constantly being sought. Vehicles with higher seating capacities were being introduced, and the mechanization of bus cleaning was being extended to all garages where the number of vehicles justified it.
To ease the work of conductors and
to economize in administrative costs, self-printing ticket-issuing machines and a night-safe system were being introduced. More office work was being mechanized, and improved methods of vehicle maintenance were giving satisfactory results.
During the past 10 years, the cost per mile of wages had almost doubled, whereas operating costs as a whole had increased l times.
Extensions to the Chester-le-Street garage, which were almost complete. would provide accommodation for an extra 97 vehicles. The new garage in Park Lane, Sunderland. would be in use by the end of May, and it was hoped that the adjoining new bus station would be ready by July.
Work was well advanced on the Tynemouth Company's new garage at Percy Main, which would accommodate 36 more vehicles, and the new garage at Winlaton, which would house 30 buses. was expected to he ready for occupation in the autumn.