Women aim of bus campaign

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33965, 4 October 1975, Page 16

Women aim of bus campaign

An intensive advertising campaign, aimed at increasing off-peak passenger loads, will be started next week by the Christchurch Transport Board. The board will spend $7500 over nine weeks, with the aim of attracting the patronage of women. Women were potentially the board's largest source of revenue in off-peak periods, said the chairman, Mr M. O. Holdsworth, yesterday. If the campaign were successful the board could spend as much as $50,000 on a full year’s marketing programme. The board provided a valuable service, said Mr Holdsworth, which was worth selling to attract greater patronage and keep fares and rates at reasonable levels.

It cost the board $15,000 a day to provide the bus service, but revenue was only $lO,OOO. If the campaign was successful it could help to bridge this gap, he said. Next year free off-peak inward travel and an honesty box fare system may also be

tested as a means of attract- [ ing more custom and lower|ing the deficit. “Looking to next year and assuming that inflation will .add 10 per cent to the board’s costs, the service could cost another $l5OO a day.” The board’s aim was to cover this increased cost by I attracting more passenger?, and the $l5OO would be covered with an extra 10,000 patrons daily.