Constant Search to Cut Costs
Page 33
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BECAUSE of fuel-tax increases, a 1—)constant search was being made for every possible means for improving efficiency and reducing costs. Nevertheless, in default of some substantial relief, the only course was to apply again to increase fares. Mr. J. S. Wills, chairman of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., made these statements at the annual general meeting of the company in London, last week.
The time and effort which had to be spent on the preparation -of such applications were prodigious, he said, and it was disheartening to the administrative staff to be faced with the constant recurrence of such a thankless task. He likened it to that of Sisyphus. King of Corinth, who was condemned perpetually to push a heavy stone up a steep hill and had always the mortification of seeing it roll back to the bottom.'
During 1951, the company introduced 21 new services, reinstated two and increased the frequency of another 244. V Ihicles covered over 73m, miles, more than 1m. greater than in the previous year, and carried 463m.'passengers, or 12m. more than in 1950. These results had been achieved with a fleet of 1,803 • vehicles in 1951 compared with 1,801 in 1950.
Because of the rearmament programme, the renewal of rolling stock was becoming increasingly difficult. The company had therefore taken a long-term policy and ordered 100 Leyland double-deckers for delivery in the early part of 1953 and a further 718 vehicles for 1953-58.
Following the decision of the Ministry of Transport to increase the permissible length of single-deckers, the underfloor-engined buses were to be reconstructed to provide 44 instead of 40 seats. When this work was completed, 1,820 more seats would be available on existing vehicles, equal to the addition of 42 buses.
Referring to the White Paper proposals, Mr.Wills hoped that any, modification of the licensing 'machinery would be approached with the greatest caution.