ATTRACTING THE PUBLIC TO THE BUS.
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How the Public Favour has been Won by United Automobile Services, Ltd. Promoting the Sale of Passenger-miles. The Influence of Fast Pneumatictyred Vehicles. A Successful Parcel-traffic Scheme.
ONE of the most successful of the many bus-operating concerns in this country is United Automobile Services, Ltd., who operate in Durham, Northumberland, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and -East Anglia, and whose vehicles cover some 1,800 miles of route, the headquarters of the company being located at Lowestoft.
The fleet comprises ever 450 buses, principally A.E.G. and Daimler vehicles. These will be supplemented during the coming summer by 100 or more A.E.G. chassis. For the convenience of their passengers a number of coaches is also in service, but these form a comparatively small proportion of the whole, amounting to between 40 and 50 vehicles. The company, whilst believing that there is a future for such vehicles, deal mainly with buses, which are easier to control as the itinerary does not change from day to day.
The United passenger services are immensely popular in the districts where they run, and in selling passenger-miles, as it may be termed, the company place 90 per cent, of the importance as lying in the vehicle itself and in its absolute punctuality ; comfortable vehicles are of the utmost importance, and the company claim that they were the first to provide the fast pneumatic-tyred vehicles now becoming so popular throughout the industry, the first six of such vehicles being placed in service in the summer of 1920.
Immediate profitable returns cannot always be obtained on all routes, but by reasonable fares and a general study of the wants of the travelling community the present high state of efficiency has been reached.
c26 It has been realized that to be popular the vehicles must be well lighted. For the past four years all vehicles built have had a similar number of lights to London buses. Gas-filled electric lamps are in general use. In the provinces the miner likes to read his football results and the urban dweller his newspaper without causing eye strain. Reduction in vibration due to 'the employment of pneumatic tyres and the improvements in springing have also greatly assisted in this matter.
The company treat their conductors as ticket salesmen and not merely as conductors in the ordinary sense of the word. All members of the staff are trained to show courtesy, to stop anywhere en route and, wherever possible,
to give individual attention. Punctuality is a watchword ; in fact, it is
claimed that people along the routes set their clocks by the buses, all services being run to time-table.
Return tickets have become very popular, and are available between all important points on the routes. To stimulate interest in the return ticket the company, last year, inaugurated an interesting and most successful scheme by which with each ticket was issued a Card resembling a cigarette card, and arranged in three series—castles, churches and what is known as the United series, being photographs of such subjects as inquiry kiosks, time-table frames, etc. When a passenger had collected a come plete series of these he could exchange them for a Hawkeye camera made by the Kodak Co., who, incidentally, were also responsible for photographing the various subjects.
So successful did this scheme prove that some 3,000 cameras have been given away to date, and passengers are frequently seen consulting together and arranging "swops." This brought about a pleasant spirit of camaraderie amongst passengers, and the popularity of the return ticket was assured ; apart from this there was a considerable direct publicity value to the 'United passenger services.
This is only one of the n-yiny successful schemes which have been inaugurated. Another which deserves particular mention is that during the panto
mime season the company book whole blocks of seats at the theatres, the tickets being sold by the company's agents in the adjoining villages, thus affording people in outlying districts opportunity for visiting the theatres with the comforting knowledge that there is no doubt allow the seats being available upon arrival. The scheme also includes the provision of dinners close to the theatre for those requiring them, the dinner tickets also being issued with the bus tickets. By this method thousands of peopie were conveyed from outlying country districts to the Newcastle and ether provincial pantomimes and popular attractions this year, with the result that the railway company were induced to give similar facilities.
There is now a tremendous sale of season tickets, which are issued for periods of from one month to twelve Months. These are most popular on short journeys where passengers can, for instance, go home to lunch, back to town for the cinema after tea, etc., and thus take full advantage of this facility. Special rates are quoted for scholars and students, these being 25 per cent. below the standard season-ticket prices. Large numbers of buses are run for workmen at specially reduced fares, such vehicles, in certain eases, running throughout the night. Late evening and early morning buses
are provided where required, and the company have special contracts for the conveyance of miners, in the belief that if they cater for the working hours they will get this traffic during the hours of leisure.
Not of least :importance amongst the activities of United Automobile Services, Ltd., is the parcel-traffic scheme, which not only proves a wonderful convenience to the public but is carried out at really cheap rates. For instance, a 7-lb. parcel can be carried anywhere on the company's services for 4d.; 42 lb. for 1s.; and 1 cwt. for 2s. 8d. For an additional fee of 2d. per parcel for each 56 lb. or part thereof, delivery within the free-delivery radius will be made direct to the consignee by the local
agent. In general, this is within an area not exceeding one mile from the agent's premises. In the important towns the agents have under them parcel boys with parcel-carriers, thus prompt delivery is ensured.
Every agent has a large enamelled-iron yellow plate conspicuously displayed outside his premises, and bearing the words, "Agent for Parcels and Private Hire Coaches." Apart from undertaking this work the agents form an important intelligence section which keeps the company acquainted with all contemplated excursions, church trips, etc.