More Traffic: More Miles:
Page 27
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Bus Deliveries Fail
VIGURES indicating the lag in the
supply of new buses to the Yorkshire Woollen District Transport Co., Ltd., were given by the chairman, Mr. Raymond W. Birch, at the company's annual meeting on March 24.
In 1947, he said, the. company had outstanding orders for . about 200 vehicles, of which only 15 double deckers weredelivered. Seventy-five single-deckers were now going into service. Further double-deckers promised for the autumn of 1947 were unlikely to arrive until late in 1948.
Nevertheless, the company had, during the past year, carried nearly 1.500,000 more passengers than in the previous year, an increase of about 2} per cent. What was more significant, mileage increased by over 10 per cent. Comparison of those two figures provided proof that a high proportion of the passengers travelled in greater comfort—sitting down. Gross revenue, slightly higher than in 1946, again set up a new record.
Pointing out that, despite rising expenses, it was many years since any
increase was made hi the company's ordinary fares, which made up 90 per cent, of its total revenue, Mr. Birch said that this was in startling contrast to the position of those industries which the Government had already nationalized.
Mentioning that the company had decided to grant a certificate and a silver medal to all employees who completed 25 years' service, Mr. Birch declared that nearly 100 workers were already eligible.
Mr. W. T. James, O.B.E., chairman of the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., also reported at the company's annual meeting, last week, that mileage increased in 1947 on all services. Buses and coaches covered more than 19,000,000 miles and carried nearly 110,000,000 passengers—substantial increases over the corresponding totals for the previous year.
• During the year 94 new vehicles were received. They increased the fleet from 508 to 554 buses. The company's programme for new vehicles was, however, still in arrears.