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Statistics Show Satisfactory Trend in Passenger-vehicle Operation
Page 65
Page 66
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In the Past Year There Has Been a Reasonably Substantial Increase in the Number of Passenger Vehicles Employed and the Trend is Towards Those of Larger Capacity TtHEn:spgoertnerianldusitua_tioant, het theserirtoatdimepa;reensegnerts mo4 of the features With which we .have become mo4 of the features With which we .have become
. ,
. familiar during the 'past" fewyears. There is one feature, this year however which has been absent for several years-, and that is a reasonably substantial increase in the-.
• number of vehicles employed.
We can find plenty of facts and figures to indicate the importance of the industry and in directions which are, in a. sense, common to all industries—that is to say, in turnover, in output and in equipment. In the passenger ' transport industry, turnover and output are, of course, .related to receipts and expenses, the vehicle-niiles run
• and the passengers carried. These aspects of the subject were considered in some detail in The Commercial Motor of January 13 last, and it is hardly necessary, therefore, to go over the same ground again.
• How the Industry is Meeting Increasing Demands. • Here, we are concerned principally with equipment, or in Other words, the vehicles in service, and propose from that angle to consider the trend of progress in the industry as it endeavours to meet the increasing • demands of the travelling public.
• From a census recently published, we find that the
• . total nuMber of buses and coaches, trolleybuses, taxicabs and similar vehicles, in service at any time during the quarter ended September 30, 1938, was 87,730—an increase of 1,964 (or 2.29 per cent.) over the previous year:' Included in this total are the 8,990 new vehicles brought into service during the year for the first time, so that 7,026 may be assumed as the number of vehicles Withdrawn, Or suspended from service temporarily. . How these figures compare with the figures of previous years may readily be seen in the following
An analysis of the aggregate figures reveals many facts which illustrate the trend of development.
Thus, included in the 87,730 vehicles are 2,725 trolleybuses—which is 600 more than there Were last ye:ar ; and there are 34,725 vehicles (which is 3.9.6 per cent. of the total) seating not more than eight passengers. This leaves 50,280 vehicles which are properly classed as public service .vehicles. (But it might be as well to note that some 600-700 vehicles seating not more than eight passengers are used and licensed as public Service vehicles' in various parts of the country).
Increase in Taxicab Class.
As revealing an unusual increase in the taxicab class, it should be observed that the 34,725 vehicles mentioned above include 18,207 vehicles seating not more than four passengers. That is 860 more than there were at the last census. On the other hand, the 16,518 vehicles remaining in this grouping, i.e., those seating between 4 and 8 passengers, are 922 fewer than for the same period last year.
Further analysis shows that among the public service vehicles (as defined) those of small capacity are also decreasing. This, of course, is common knowledge, but the confirming facts from the new census may as well be precisely stated, Thus, in public service vehicles seating from eight upto 26 passengers (and such vehicles constitute over 20 per cent of the total number of such vehicles) there has been a drop of 837 during•
the year. Those seating over 26 have, of course, increased—by 2,863 (including the increase of 600 trolleybuses).
Increase in 48and 56-seater Hackneys.
The following tables show the general trend in these directions, over the past few years, and in that showing the percentage variation in the proportions which hackneys of specified seating capacity bear, to the total number of hackneys, it will be seen that it is the class of vehicle seating between 48 and 56 which has, during the past year (and duringthe previous one), so largely increased its number. Vehicles of this capacity now comprise 15.7 per cent of all vehicles, and only one other class of vehicle exceeds it—namely the 26-32 seater, which accounts for 19.4 per cent. of all the vehicles in service.
Another point of interest, which deserves notice, is the increase in the number of vehicles with seating capacity exceeding 64. These, it will be seep, have increased from 0.3 per cent (287) in 1936 to im per cent. (918) in 1938, but nearly all of them are trolleybuses. it is as well to mention this fact, because apart from trolleybuses, these oversize vehicles are declining; there were 49 operating on petrol or heavy oil in 1936, and only 19 in 1938.
This naturally brings us to the subject of the distribution of vehicles, according to the method of propulsion. As we have already indicated, 2,725 this year (as against 2,125 .last year) are. trolleybuses 'propelled by electricity. For a number of reasons, but principally because a market is provided for home-produced fuel, many will be glad to note the increasing use of this type of vehicle. The growing popularity of the oil-engined vehicle is, however, the striking feature. The number of these in service is now. 17,322, as compared with 12,997 last year, and 8,547 in the year before. Petrol vehicles (confining ourselves to those seating over eight passengers) number 32,960 (as against 35,860 last year).
The use of six-wheeled, rigid-frame vehicles shows no signs of expansion, except among trolleybuses and,
slightly, among oil-engined vehicles. Among petrolengined 'vehicles, their use has declined from 1,280 (in 1936) to 1,147 (in 1938), and, taking light and heavy oil 'Classe3 together, the number of six-wheelers is now 1,729; compared with 1,790 in 1936. The progress of the Industry, from whatever angle we attempt to view it, must depend partly upon the encouragement (or discouragement, as the case may be) which it receives from legislation. Mainly, however, it will depend upon the consideration which those engaged in it give to the improvement of ,services, the comfort of passengers, and their conveyance 'at equitable fares.
It is encouraging, therefore, to be able to record that more and more attention is being paid to these matters, but it would serve no good purpose to pretend that there is not, in some cases, stilt room for improvement. The increase in the number of vehicles is indicative of improving social conditions, and growth in the habit of road travel. New services are required, and improved facilities on those already in operation. Withal, there is a demand for up-to-date and comfortable vehicles for a growing public, toenjoy. Given these, continued prosperity for the Industry seems well assured.