Higher Staff Efficiency Needed
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NEED for eliminating inefficiency and dishonesty among road passenger transport staff was urged by Mr. G. Patterson, D.S.M., at the February meeting of the Institute of Traffic Administration Merseyside centre,
The problem of maintaining efficiency had become acute, especially in areas where alternative employment abounded, he said, and he stressed the necessity of a positive and comprehensive training plan. Large undertakings were experiencing great difficulty in obtaining employees in sufficient numbers or of a suitable type. snd there were places where it was impossible to fill the existing gaps, even by means of female labour.
Road passenger transport, especially when municipally operated, offered security of employment and good working conditions, but the wage rates'did not compare with those in other industries. An advance in this respect, especially for city working, was not only desirable, but long overdue. Even when labour could be obtained, there was a, strong psychological reaction to weekend working and split ("titles.
Efficiency could be obtained only by the creation of an attractive wage rate, backed up by sound training for all new
entrants. The standard of efficiency was far below that which existed in the industry before 1939 The most economical method of recruiting drivers would be to engage them direct, but as this method left little incentive to the conductor, it was desirihk that drivers should he created from the conductor grade.
In training the conductor-to-be, it was not sufficient fir him to be told just how he must punch tickets, but rather the necessit: of dc in., so should be explained This meant that a brief interpretation of costs of operation and of the fares structure should be given.
The prevailiag wagti rate, in Mr. Patterson s opinion did much to encourage dishonesty, especially in dense city working.