Glasgow's Experience with Big Standing Loads
Page 41
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
PASSENGER reaction was the controlling factor in picking-up times of single-deck 'trolleybuses with large standing capacity, representatives of Glasgow Corporation recently told The Commercial Motor." There have been no fare-collection difficulties and loading has been accelerated as passengers accustomed themselves to the new. procedure.
With the aid of his change machine and the Ultimate ticket system, the conductor at his fixed pay desk can work faster than the travellers can board, produce money, pick up tickets and move into the saloon.
In 10 new B.U.T. single-deck trolleybuses that have been ordered, changes in design have been made to facilitate loading, the entrance being behind instead of in front of the front wheels, whilst the entry platform level is the same as that of the saloon. The vehicles will have bodies by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, Ltd.
As the control of the rear doors has now been placed in the hands of the driver, the conductor is enabled to concentrate on the issue of tickets, in the knowledge that the closing doors, interlocked with the controls, will ensure freedom from risk of platform accidents.
The new trolleybuses, which will have 27 seats, will; as previously, provide for 40 standing passengers, giving a total capacity of 67, compared with the Glasgow double-deckers'-capacity of 70 seated and 10 standing passengers.
Another subject of experiment in Glasgow is an Albion 39-seat underfloor-engined bus which provides standing capacity for 17 people. A Daimler somewhat similar is expected to go into service shortly.
Particularly good results have been achieved on routes where physical considerations make it necessary to run single-deckers, whilst staff shortages preclude the provision of a sufficiently intensive service to satisfy peak-hour requirements.
Observation of the vehicles in operation suggests that they are appreciated by workers who might otherwise have much longer waits before being able to board a bus, but it must be borne in mind that only when a route is fully equipped with a specific type of machine is it possible to obtain completely reliable figures upon that design's effect on the handling of traffic.