ROAD TRANSPORT IN OTHER LANDS
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Items of News Intended to Stimulate the Interest of British Makers in Overseas Markets.
An Opportunity in Bergen.
HIS Majesty's Consul at Bergen re ports that a local company is about to be formed to operate a new motorbus route, commencing during the summer of 1930.
Companies desirous of offering British-built motorbuses, which should be 16-seaters, can obtain further particulars upon application to the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, Londen, &W.1; Reference No. A.X. 8331 should be . quoted.
Formosa—A SmallEastern Market. AS an indieation of the relative importance -of. Porraosa as a marlset for the British commercial motor minufacturer we are able to report that 136 passenger and goods vehicles were imported there during the year 3928.
• Standardizing Motorbus Dimensions in America.
MOTORBUS specifications, as drawn up by the American National Automobile Chamber of Commerce, the Connecticut Public Utilities Commission, the American Society of Automotive Engineers and the Motor Vehicle Conference Committee, were discussed at a joint meeting lately held in Washington. The purpose was to endeavour to standardize the principal dimensions and equipment of motorbuses. • Although the desirability of this was recognized, several of those present at the conference felt that standardization might impede development of design, and it was thought that sufficient elasticity should be maintained in the specifications to allow manufacturers to incorporate new ideas. One of the changes put forward in the proposed rules is that a maximum length of 40 ft. from bumper to bumper should be imposed, leaving it to individual state authorities to reduce this maximum length if considered desirable.
Road Development in Belgium. THE bad condition of the roads in Belgium has been one of the principal factors in retarding the general use of motor vehicles in that country, but it is understood that, subject to approval by the Minister of Public Works, repairs are to be put in hand shortly on no fewer than 98 main and subsidiary roads, and certain main roads are to be entirely reconstructed on modern lines. It is intended that in the next two or three years some 3,500 kiloms. of main roads are to be dealt with, at an estimated cost of 240,000,000 francs. At present the motorbus is gaining more popularity in rural districts than in the towns.
Our Share of the Indian Trade. IN the fiscal year ended March, 1929, India imported 10,838 commercial motor chassis and 1,952 motorbuses, vans and lorries. Of the total, Great Britain supplied 473 as compared with 447 in the previous year, Canada supplied 6,373 and America 5,809 vehicles or chassis.
It is interesting to note that the average value per chassis of the imports from Britain was £333 as compared with £391 in the previous year ; the average value of the Canadian chassis was £98 and that of the American chassis £145.
German Competition in Spain. GERMAN niotorbus and lorry builders are at present devoting considerable attention to developing business in Spain. A feature of the international exhibition at present being held in Barcelona is the German section, an important part of which is made up of a collective exhibit of German automobile products, including the more prominent goods and passenger chassis. In particular, a Bilssing blue-painted sixwheeled motor coach, intended for a service between Seville and Lisbon, is attracting attention.
A Market for Motorbuses in Bulgaria. SINCE the war a large number of motorbuses has come into use in Bulgaria. It is reported from Sofia that there are now about 140 services operating with some 1,310 vehicles. The longest inter-town service is that between Varna and Bourgas, a distance of about 114 miles. There is an opportunity in this country for the British manufacture of bus chassis.
Registration Figures from the Pacifie. AS at March 31st this year there were 3,629 motorbuses and goods vehicles registered in the Island of Oahu, in addition to 20,633 motorcars.
The Position in Denmark..
WE learn from a Government report that -75 per cent, of the commercial motors in Denmark are of the 1-ton _type, 17 per cent, are for loads between 1 ton and 30 cwt. and the small balance of 8 per cent, consists of larger vehicles.
In the bus business, also, light vehicles are the most popular, although some heavier buses produced at the Triangel Works are to be seen in service. It is advisable for British makers to watch this market, because rapid developments in road traffic are taking place, and the tramway authorities appear to welcome the motorbus.
Production in Canada.
• DURING the first five months of this year Canadian factories produced 5,359 complete commercial motors and 26,406 goode chassis, these figures comparing with 1,424 and 12,479 in the corresponding period of 1928. Of the 5,359 vehicles 3,763 were of less than 1-ton capacity.
Rapid Progress in Czecho-Slovakia. FROM a recent return we have compiled the appended table showing the number of commercial motors registered in Czecho-Slovakia at the commencement of 1929, as compared with the
position two years ago. It will be gathered that since then there has been an increase of DO fewer than 6,562 vehicles, or approximately 821 per cent.
Of the 14,292 commercial vehiclea 6,772 are of the country's own manufacture, 4,847 are American and 47 aro of British construction.