ECONOMIC RATES FOR MOTOR COACHING.
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The Lowest Figure which Should be Accepted, The Stupidity of Cut-throat Competition.
WITHIN the next two or three mouths coach owners in all parts of the country will be devoting attention to the development of policy and to the evolution of plans to carry them through the forthcoming motor coach season. It may not he inappropriate, therefore, while the opportunity remains, again to venture to anticipate that efforts will be put forward on a more general, and in a less half-hearted, style to correct some of the gross anomalies in rates and hiring conditions, such as have in recent seasons wrought havoc to both large and small owners without regard to their culpability.
Causes of deviations from the straight path of commercial rectitude have already been analysed, and the results are obviously far-reaching, hut that is only an incidental observation to the general conclusion that the absurd and needless undermining of hiring charges does not in the broad sense increase patronage. It may affect the distribution of traffic, but in doing so also rendeis less uncertain the upholding of those economic standards which alone permit of business being done.
This is all very simple and elementary to the Coach owner who has bought his experience dearly, but it has given rise
to the most complex problems. The remedy is equally simple—a little snore goodwill and camaraderie amongst coach owners. Were this to exist, 50 per cent. of the difficulties now encountered would vanish.
Over and over again in the course of a season have coach owners (not always, and only, small owners), when asked by the writer on whatbasis they compute hiring charges, said, "Oh, -we just charge the district rate," And how is that arrived at ? Sometimes the local operators have informal talks about rates, and so soon as one company advertises these the others follow suit. That is how some charges serde the recognition of the public.
In one town familiar to the writer the competitive system obtains. One firm sets the ball a-rolling with the announcement. "Tour to —, 5s. 6d." His nearest competitor, seeing this, says, "If So-and-so can run to — for 5s. 6d, —well, I can do it for 5s." The result may be imagined. The first coach owner, by the same process of reasoning, likewise argues that if Mr. A.B., who owns only one coach, can do the — journey for 5s., then there is no reason why he with his six coaches should not
C38 be able to do it for 4s. 6d. And so the evil grows.
Such incidents as these are known to be facts. Talk to owners in this town about running costs and standing charges and they would suspect the interrogator of being sopreinely theoretical and not one bit practical. " We know what money we receive and we know what we spend, so what is the good of going into details," is a common statement of the position from many owners.
It may be quite rational for coach owners to talk in this strain at the height of the holiday season. The writer looks forward to meeting some of them again during the next few weeks. Some be knows he will not, for they have gone out of business. After weighing up the pros and cons of the situation this fact remains, and it is the one on which attention should be focused the season through, i.e., that there is an inclusive cost per mile figure for the running of every coach, which, on the basis of an average year's running, can he set dawn in very 'definite terms. The acceptance of less (whether for competitive or nonconipetitive reasons it matters not) is ultimately ruinous, and for that reason should he eschewed.
It is only common sense, therefore, to ascertain accurate running costs, to remember them the season through, and to work to them.
The running costs of motor coaches of various types have, as many owners may be aware, been published in the columns of The Commercial Afotor from time to time, and up-to-date figures were published as recently as November 27th.
Popular Theatre Service.
The United Automobile Services, Ltd., who, in addition to their extensive motorbus activities in Norfolk and in Durham, have more recently commenced operations in Northumberland, with a number of highly useful services radial, tog from their Ashington and Blyth garages, show particular enterprise in cater* for the requirements of their
patrons, as is instanced by the recent inauguration of a service of theatre buses between Ashington and Newcastle. These have been organized by arrangement -with the management of the Theatre Boyal, 'Newcastle, where a pantomime is now being held, and the return fare of 6s, 6d. per passenger not only covers charges for conveyance for
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the ourney of about 40 miles, hut also provides fir a seat in the stalls.
That these trips are being operated at an especially attractive rate can be gathered from the fact that the ordinary railway return fare for the journey is 4s. 10d. The buses leave immediately after the conclusion of the pantomime. They are of the saloon type, and give the utmost comfort and convenience to passengers.