Operating Aspects of PASSENGER
Page 34
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TRANSPORT
LEEDS NEW BUS LIGHTING INSPECTED
rrwo of Leeds Corporation's buses 1 have been fitted with the new interior lighting, which the Government has approved as a means for improving illumination in buses, whilst meeting black-out requirements. The inspection of the vehicles by transport and police authorities from over a wide area began on January 17, under arrangements made at the request of the Home Office.
For the adoption of this lighting system in Leeds, 10,000 shades will be fitted in the corporation's buses, and it is hoped to complete the job by the third week in February.
" CM." PROMOTES INTEREST IN WELSH PRODUCER-GAS BUS
ATRIBUTE to the influential circulation of The Commercial Motor has been paid, this week, by Mr. H. A. Taylor, joint managing director and secretary of the Swan Motor Co., of
Singleton Street, Swansea. He says that " Following publication of a report in The Commercial Motor, by the Swansea correspondent, dealing with our experiment in introducing the first gas-producer bus in full-time passenger service in West Wales, I have been telephoned by several bus proprietors in NVales who have seen the report. Considerable interest has been centred in our experiment and we will, of course, do our best to let transport owners have a trial run on the producer-gas bus when it is in operation."
LEEDS NEEDS MANY CONDUCTORS
IT is estimated that from 600 to 700 new bus and tram conductors will be required by Leeds Passenger Transport Department to fill vacancies resulting from the calling up of men below 28 years of age for service in the Forces.
The transport committee decided on Monday last to recruit men first of all, and then to engage women as conductors when no more suitable men are available. To facilitate the supply of this temporary labour the committee has relaxed medical and age standards.
CYCLE SHIFTS REPLACED BY ONE-ROUTE WORKING T ANARKSHIRE bus employees have 1—, unanimously approved a change in their time sheets which will improve their conditions. For some years the workers have been employed on a cycle time sheet and have operated on several different routes in the course of
four weeks. Drivers and conductors are now to be employed permanently on one route, on which they will work on alternate shifts, one week on early shift and the next on late duty.
Employees were unable, under the HS system of changing rotas, to familiarize themselves thoroughly with the stopping places and the peculiarities of the routes—particularly important in the black-out.
The change-over will come into effect at an early date. It has the full approval of the representatives of the Transport and General Workers Union.
PART APPROVAL FOR OLDHAM'S APPLICATION
THE Ministry of Transport has given formal sanction to the borrowing of a sum not exceeding £35,180 in connection with the purchase by Oldham (Lance) Corporation of 20 buses, the amount to be repaid within eight years. With regard to the remaining 27 buses forming part of the corporation's application, consideration of the issue of sanction has been reserved.
"NATIONAL OMNIBUS" REPORT
THE report of the National Omnibus and Transport Co., Ltd., for the year ended December 31, 1939, shows a profit of £109,508. The dividend for the year on the preference shares absorbed £17,500 and a dividend of 7 per cent. (free of tax) is to be paid on the ordinary shares and will take £87,500. General reserve receives an allocation of £5,000, and the balance to be carried forward is £30,323.
BLACK-OUT CAUSES BIG TRAFFIC LOSS
SINCE the outbreak of war the blackout has cost Bradford Corporation's passenger transport department £850 a week in loss of traffic, stated Alderman Walter Hodgson (chairman of the passenger transport committee) at last week's city council meeting. Increases in trolleybus and tram fares were approved at the meeting.
Referring to increased expenses, Alderman Hodgson stated that, during the past three years, the pay of the department's employees had gone up by £34,000 a year.
Leeds Passenger Transport Committee will not decide whether to recommend increases in fares to meet higher costs, until the department's estimates for the next financial year have been prepared.
STIRLING ENDORSES BUS-STATION PLAN
THE decision of Stirling magistrates, approving a proposal by W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., the Scottish bus-operating concern, to erect a bus station at Goosecroft, Stirling, has been endorsed by Stirling Town Council. The station will be used for longdistance buses,