ONE-MAN TRAMS.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20828, 11 April 1933, Page 16

ONE-MAN TRAMS.

FIRST WEEK OF OPERATION REVIEW BY THE BOARD. A review of the operation of the one-man tramcars to date is contained in a report issued by the Christchurch Tramway Board yesterday. "One-man cars have now been operated for a week. The results have fully come up to expectations," states the report. "The fact that the time-tables have been maintained under new conditions to which neither the staff nor the public have yet become fully accustomed is a sufficient reply to those who prophesied 'hold-ups' to traffic. "The fact that one man is operating enables a quicker decision to be reached and acted upon with respect to starting a car than when two men have to think and act together. One of the factors making for quicker get away is the automatic doors. The driver does not need to bear in mind the possibility of an accident through passengers leaving or boarding the car after it has started to move. "Another noticeable thing is that passengers entering two-men cars frequently have to wait for the slowest passenger who is leaving the car at the same doorway. With oneman cars there are two streams of pasgengers moving together—one going in, the other going out. Assisting two-men cars now take the place of trailers. Two single cars spaced a block or two means less interference with street traffic than a car and trailer together, more particularly at street intersections. Relieving Two-men Cars. "The traffic manager has arranged for the assisting two-men cars to be ahead of the one-man cars by a street block and to divide the stopping work between them. It has been noticed at Cashel street, where both cars stop, that some waiting passengers will not board the twomen cars, but wait for the one-man car because of less jostle in entering and more comfortable seats. There is also the charm of novelty operating, which will wear off. "Spreydon line was not in the original one-man schedule. It was added by the board at the last discussion. The railway makes for delay on this line. Double track would of course, cut out delays almost entirely, but this expenditure is not justified. The board transferred two sets of Nachod signals to Spreydon which are assisting matters materially, and the time-table is being maintained. "Five groundsmen are being employed as originally estimated. There is a possibility of these being reduced in number. If shop-keepers at the congested points would accept the agency for sale of tickets and the giving of change, it might be worth while. The whole question of ticket agents, discussed at the meeting some months ago, might well be discussed again later. There are advantages and disadvantages. The greater use of exit doors should also be considered, but in this as in other matters the board should make haste slowly. The ticket receptacle at the front exit has proved worth while. Later on its use and the check of tickets of people leaving the cars can receive more attention."