PROGRESS IN PASSENGER TRAVEL.
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The Latest Doings' and Developments in the BUS and Coach World.
1922 Coach Rates.
Factors that Have to be Borne in Mind.
COACH owners will soon have to be getting their " houses in order' for the coming *NISOLL's business, and there oast be nogainsaying the fact that, in view of the rapidly changing conditions in the economic and industrial status of the working classes, the coach owners will have to adapt themselves to these circumstances. If, when a working man was getting £4 5s. a week, he could afford to pay 15s. for a day trip to a popular resort 50 Miles away, it must be obvious that, when he is receiving only £3 5s., his surplus for joy-riding wiLl he correspondingly reduced.
How will coach owners tackle this 'problem—thatof limited spending power—on the part of the masses? They certainly cannot .afford to ignore the fact that during the last nine months millions of workers have had to submit to wages reductions that, in some cases,were very drastic, consequent upon the fall in the cost of living. The question of rates is a8 vital to the coach owner as is the matter of wages to his clients, and, whilst it. is premature as yet to speculate an the season's possibilities, it seems to us that one of the important problems that will confront coach owners in a general sort of way is (1) whether they will continue to boo,n the comparatively long day trip (a) at last year's prices, (b) or at lower fares, or (2) or concentrate on plaees nearer home and modify fares on the basis of last year's mileage rates.
Many coach owners have not as yet come to grips with the matter of the coming season's fareS, for the reason that, in the final analysis, the only rate that rotes is the one which is determined .supply and demand, and this advances and decreases according to the flow of patronage. Everybody, of course, wants as much as they can get, but it is in view of the unaettled conditions that many are uncertain as to the stretch of the public mine. There will, of course, always he a section of the public that will be able to pay the full fares, and this leads us to believe that the line of diatinction between popular toina and select tours, in smaller coaches on pneumatic tjtrea, will be more marked than last year.
"Rates will be a very ticklish question this year," said a coach owner to a representative of Th.e. Commercial Molar, "and, instead of speculating on the uncertainties of the future, it seems to !DO that, whilst there is. every prospect of a good season in front of its, hard and fast rates, mach as they are to be desired, are ant so easy of attainment under all conditions from the beginning to the end of the season."
Last year a considerable number of children s picnics were conveyed by chars-fi-banes. It seems that difficulties are sometimes encountered in this sphere, owing to double concerning the interpres . tation of the seating capacity of coaches. A 28-seater vehicle. is held to be licensed for 28 adults.. Does this also mean 28 children, and no more? This factor has an influence CM /‘at..-.2.s, for some 'owners quote a " per head" and others a "per coach" charge.
A Standardized Coach Fleet.
THE ILLUSTRATION which we reproduce at the bottom of this page shows part of the very fine fleet of Dennis motor coaches in the service of the Southsea Tourist, Co., Ltd., of Middle Street, Portsmouth. This company started passenger vehicle operation some 10 years ago in a very small way, the. founders of the concerts being Afr. C. W. Norris and Mr. F. Plater, these two gentIenien at present acting as joint managing directors.
The present. fleet consists of eight single-deck, saloon type omnibuses, twenty-six 30-seater motor coaches, and. such has been the experience of the company with this standardized fleet that they have recently placed another large contract with Dennis Bros, Ltd., of Guildford, for a number of their new 25-seater model. The new vehicles will be delivered at Whitsuntide, and will be operated during the forthcoming season.
The company's coaches are used chiefly for tours from Portsmouth to such places of interest as Bournemouth, Winchester,Southampton, New Forest, Guildford, etc., and it is of passing interest to note that during January they have been running a daily service betweeo Portsmouth and London in connection with the annual sales being held by the big business houses of the Metropolis. This scheme has proved a very popular method of transport amongst the buying public. During the winter months the coaches receive a good deal of support from the sailors and employees of the dockyard, especially in connection with -football matches and similar functions.
The joint directors are to be congratulated on building up a very fine and valuable business; in fact, the present company is one of the largest of its deseription in the South of England. The fleet is maintained in tip-top condition, and it is largely due to the careful scrutiny which is kept on the mechanical condition of their vehicles that there has been a total absence of accidents of all descriptions in fact, each vehicle is snbjected to a thorough inspection after the completion of its journey.
Bus and Coach Operation.
The Views of a Lancashire Expert on the Great Scope for Passenger Motor Vehicles.
"RURAL England will in tho next few years he opened up in such a way as would not have been dreamt of a few years ago. The provision of motor transport will not only be a godsend to the rural inhabitants, who will be able cheaply to visit the large towns and derive many obvious hermfits, but will also enable town dwellers, probably for the first, time, to enjoy the benefits of their own country."
This was one of the striking passages in a lecture delivered by Mr. E. H: Edwardes, general manager of the Lancashire United Tramways, Ltd., to the North-western Division of the Inatituto of Transport, at Warrington, to which
we referred very briefly in our issue of last week.
At the outset, Mr. Edwardes expressed the opinion that. electric tramways, trackless trolley traction, motor omnibuses and motor coaches were here to stay and to become more efficient.
Little progress, he said, had been made with the trackless-trolley system of road transport until the last year or two. This system was considered to be the most suitable for thickly populated districts where it would not pay to lay lines for tramways. It would be extensively used, he thought, in cases where tram tracks require reconstructing, 'but, owing to the sparseness of traffic, the reconstruction work would not be a financial proposition.
The motor omnibus has made enormous strides, due largely to improved designs in commercial chassis during the last two or three years, and has proved itself to be a most reliable vehicle. "Whilst in many cases motel omnibus services have proved highly satisfactory, I am afraid," said:'Mr. Edwardes, "that there are many cases -where, owing to badly devised schemes, and small systems where only a few buses operate, the result has been financial disaster.
"I am of opinion that the length of any bus route should not be less than five miles, nor greater than 20 or 25 miles, the reason being that a route less than five miles would most probably mean that the bus service would be too frequent, or that the buses would have to stand an unnecessarily long time at termini—and a route involving anything over 20 miles is too far a distance from the depot
"A great advantage of motorbus serviees, compared with other forms of trace tion, is that the services can readily bt regulated to accommodate .the number of people desiring to travel. The greater the traffic the more frequent the service. The capital expenditure of an undertaking can be made proportionate to the traffic, and if this is borne in mind a service of omnibuses can be made a paying proposition where no other form of traction would show such result,"
On the subject of bus bodies, Mr. Edwardes said there are many and varied types. The most popular type in London—the top-deck bus-s-would not be a safe proposition on the majority. of our country roads, where the camber is often . very great, and bends and corners very sharp.
I consider the most suitable type for rural services is the single-deck bus, seat ing about 30 passengers. I have but little faith in the idea of large super. buses running on six wheels and capable of carrying considerable loads, as it is my view that existing transport vehicles are sufficiently large in view of the class of roadsron which they operate."
As to front versus back entrance Mr. Edwardes favoured the former, because it gave the driver control of the platform, which thus minimized accidents, and made the bus more comfortable to ride in, owing to the elimination of draught and dust.
Working costs vary considerably with the different undertakings. It makes an enormous difference if the fleet cancerned is a fairly large one, say, 50 to AO, corneared with a fleet of, say, 12 vehicles. " I am strongly of opinion. that.in order to ensure the successful operation of a bus system, the number of vehicles in the fleet should not. be fewer than 20 or
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30. To put the point briefly, the larger the system the lower the working costs. To operate satisfactorily an independent bus system with six or twelve vehicles -is, I fear, almost an impossibility. The standing charges are necessarily very high, and it is just as requisite to have a staff of highly skilled mechanics as in the case of an undertaking controlling a large fleet."
The lecturer then dealt with the motor coach, and said that, although in its infancy, this type of vehicle has already taken its place in the world of transport. There were some people who did not view the coach with favour, in part due perhaps to the rowdy and unnecessary exuberance of passengers—in some ixws under the influence of drink. This state of affairs would not continue, and last year a great improvement was noticed in this direction.
From Mr. Edwardes's own experience quite a different class of people now patronize coaches than in the past. Originally, the bulk of motor coach business was negotiated with privately booked parties. This would, he thought, continue to be a popular feature with a certain class of people. The advertised tour, whereby single seats might be booked in advance for a day trip, or for a journey involving a return at a later date, would be extended. If this class -of transport were to become popular and reliable, coaches on advertised trips must be run to schedule time, and arrangements made to pick up passengers at specific places. A fleet of vehicles of various capacities was essential, Mr. Edwardes did not consider motor coaches to be a serious competitor with the railways. They ancouraged people to travel, and the railways . also derived. a benefit.
Speaking of coach designs, the lecturer said that, when considering designs, economy must be the first thought. In the past all classes of vehicles were put on the roads, the motor coach then being a commercial wagon equipped with a few. improved"seats and canvas screen. This state of affairs did not tend to make the motor coach appeal to the better-class
people. The springing of a passengercarrying vehicle was a highly important factor, and should be as near perfection as possible Opinion was divided, Mr. Edwardes said, as to whether coaches should be fitted with pneumatic tyres instead of solid tyres. Giant pneumatics he considered to be too. expensive for coaches, and were not so reliable as solid-band tyres. The cushion type of tyre for 14 to 20 seater vehicles was highly satisfactory, said Mi. Edwardes, the cost; was no greater than that of solid tyres, and they were as resilient and much more re liable than pneumatic tyres. The '213seater coach should be the maximum size. The 14 and 20 seaters were more popular, hut, unfortunately, they could not be'operated so cheaply as the larger type. " Certainproprietors favour the covered coach, but my own personal opinion is that much of the pleasure of motoring is lost if a long journey is undertaken with a roof over one's head. All sorts of contrivances have been brought forward in the form of convertible bodies, but at present, fiat ordinary coaches, there is nothing superior to the well-designed Cape cart hood for-use during inclement weather.
"I am really afraid that there are at present many coach owners in a small way who have, no proper repair shops. Probaoly up to the present they have not felt the need for them, owing to the fact that their vehicles may be new, but this condition will not last for ever. It is at least essential, in the interests of the travelling public,and the trade itself, that the brake and steering gear of a coach should be daily inspected in the same manner as is the practice in connection with all public and omnibus services. In fact, I would go so far as to say that no motor coach should be licensed unless the proprietor is prepared to give an undertaking to the authorities that the brake and steering gear will be daily inspected and properly maintained; otherwise, I am very mach afraid that in the near future there will be the constant danger of serious accidents occurring."