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THE MOTORBUS IN MUNICIPAL SERVICE.
Page 141
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A Survey of the Developments in Tramways by a Decade. The Supplanting of the Bus Services.
THIS article is intended to survey the development -Iand the present position of municipal motorbus services in a series of four tables, viz.:— (1) Aggregate figures for all undertakings, showing growth during the period, 1918-1928. (2) Analysis of the working costs per bus-mile run for the three years, 1925-27. (3) Detailed figures in respect of each undertaking for the municipal year, 1926-27. (4) Data in respect of individual undertakings for the municipal year ended March, 1928, providing a complete list of municipal services now in operation.
The history of the motor omnibus in municipal service spans a total period of about 27 years, but it is only since the end of the great war that really substantial progress has been made. There are several important reasons for this, and not the least momentous is our national habit in regard to innovations. Generally speaking, we treat them with hostility, put every possible difficulty in the way of pioneers, and then accept the benefits conferred—grudgingly at first and later with the alternate indifference and criticism due to a facility which has become a commonplace.
Supplanting the Tramways.
To-day, 91 municipal authorities are operating motorbus services, and in the cities, boroughs and urban districts of Great Britain a revolution in passenger transport is in progress. We may preface this statistical survey of the present position and the development of municipal bus operation by noting the two main routes along which the motorbus has made its way into public service. These are the " feeding " of tramway services by the provision of motorbus facilities over new routes from outlying districts and by the supplementing of tramway services along busy routes. But we have travelled so far from those days and those ideas that for " supplementing " we have begun to write "supplanting." In fact, the question of replacing tramways, at least in part, with motorbuses is one that seriously exercises the minds of many municipal tramway committees in the country. The problem bristles with difficulties. There are the facts of the capital liability in respect of the existing tramways and of the value of the power load on the electricity undertaking (generally a municipal concern) ; whilst there is the fact that the tramway is a monopoly, whereas the motorbus is not. Nevertheless, faced with the alternative of heavy expenditure in the renewal of tracks which have become worn out, the process of abandonment goes on and is invariably justified by results.
2,700 Buses in Municipal Service.
Whilst it is generally recognized that municipal authorities were among the pioneers in motorbus operation, the extent of their present interest in this form of passenger transport is not fully appreciated. It may be a matter of surprise to some to know that of the 112 local authorities who possess the necessary Parliamentary powers, as many as 91 are actually running their own services, employing nearly 2,700 buses and operating over an aggregate route mileage of approximately 2,300 miles; and that in the last Municipal year (1927-28) they took, roughly, £3,500,000 in fares from about 400 million passengers. We are enabled to arrive at these figures at this early date through the courtesy of the managers of the various undertakings who have kindly supplied the necessary data for this special Municipal Number of The Commercial Motor. These aggregate figures are, of course, approximate, but the individual figures which are available and upon which they are based are given in Table IV.
Developments in the Past 10 Years.
The remarkable progress which has been made can best be illustrated by a comparison with results in previous years and, for this purpose, the aggregate figures shown in the following table have been compiled from the annuil accounts and returns published in "The Motor Transport Year Book" (published by the Electrical Press, Ltd.) :— The latest complete accounts available are those for the municipal year, 1926-27, and the principal operating data in respect of the individual undertakings for this year is set out in the following comprehensive Table H. The detailed statistics, which have been extracted by permission from the' new edition of the "Year Book," already referred to, show all the available information under the selected headings. Calculations in respect of the traffic revenue and working costs per bus-mile run have been made wherever possible. The full details are given in Table III, which is reproduced on the next page. An analysis of the working costs, under the usual headings, will doubtless be of interest and this is given in Table II (below), with two previous years for comparison:— As already indicated, complete accounts for 1927-28 are not yet ready, but, in Table IV (which is reproduced on page 495) data covering (1) the aggregate mileage of routes in operation, (2) total number of vehicles in service, (3) passengers carried and (4) traffic receipts for the year or period ended March 31st, 1928, has been compiled, bringing our record up to the latest possible date. Columns showing comparisons with the previous year have been included, which serve to indicate at a glance the progress that has been made. Inasmuch as some of the figures are still subject to audit, amendment may be necessary in particular cases after verification, but, as a whole, the figures can be accepted as substantially accurate. Incidentally, the table provides a complete list of the municipalities throughout the country which are now operating motorbus services, showing also the year in which the present services were started.