• Passenger Transport Sets an Example
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TWO of the most important associations in the field of public-service transport will soon formally become one. They are the Public Service Transport Association and the Omnibus Owners' Association. Both have been established for many years, and each can lay a wen-proved claim to have helped this side of the industry in many of its difficult problems. There has, however, for long, been a feeling amongst ordinary members and those on the respective councils, that far too much of 'the work carried out was being dupli-, cated. Many operators were members of both bodies, which meant a large number of attendances at meetings, whilst the fact that representation was split was inclined to have the effect of reducing the strength of the conclusions arrived_ at or cases put forward.
One of the associations included in its membership representatives of manufacturers, municipalities and operating concerns. The other restricted entry to the last mentioned. There were not wanting suggestions that, in the new body, mem bers from commercial concerns and/or munici,palities should be omitted. Happily—and, in our view, rightly—common sense prevailed, and the Public Transport Association will include members from all these interests with what is considered to be adequate representation of each.
What strikes us as of particular interest in this connection is the speed with which the negotiations have been carried through. That they must have been difficult, at least at first, is obvious; the fact that such rapid success has crowned the efforts made is a welcome relief to those who have had anything to do•with similar arrangements in other sections of the industry, and certainly constitutes a good example to them.
We must, of course, admit that in this instance only two distinct organizations were involved, whereas in the case of, say, _the Road Transport Organization Joint Conference, the original report concerned seven constituent bodies, and the conclusions arrived at would be likely to affect a much larger number of local and other associations.