Bus drivers watched their overheads

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34000, 14 November 1975, Page 17

Bus drivers watched their overheads

Passengers on the i Christchurch Transport ■ Board’s 3.02 p.m. service from Cashmere Road to i Cathedral Square on Thursday were in the hands of a driver mak-i ing the last of many ‘trips on that run over the years. Mr Pen Jones retired on [Thursday after 35 years of ■ service, during which he has ■ been conductor, tram and [trolley bus driver, latterly! [of the distinctive red fleet, [since dotted with buses of other colours. Mr Jones joined the hoard!

in 1940. He had previously; done a motor-mechanics apprenticeship with Jack Sampson and Company, of Colombo Street, and later worked as an assembler with Amur! Motors, putting together the 1936-39 Dodges, Austins, Renaults and even the occasional Packard. When the war came, and the imported cars dribbled away, the firm-balloted off its workers and Mr Jones joined the board. Although most of his later! years have been spent mainly !

> on the St Martins-Somerfield' [ run, he was formerly a con-! „ ductor on trams, and two[ ' years later graduated to the! ’ job-that al! small boys of the I day aspired to—driving a! > j tram. J With progress came the! Jtrollev buses, and the task! of getting to know the “over- '[ heads.” Drivers became [faster with experience on these routes, but. if they! i strayed from the lines, could ‘■always get assistance front; ' the passengers to put them flhack on the straight and! ■’l narrow. , [ ■i Mr Jones recalls the case Lof an inspector who, in returning a trolley bus to the

i< depot, by way of High Street. ■ ! forgot, and took the tram i iroute instead. “Most emijbarrassing,” he said. : There have been some i[changes over the years. Mr! Jones said that the babies; dwhose prams he had carried ; now had babies and prams of ■ their own. : And the fares appeared rhigher. The first , section 2d[ ■ fare had risen to 10c. and I there was a corresponding i increase in further sections. i Retirement for Mr Jones; llwill be the ideal busman's [holiday. He will take a long ■ trip around the North Island m a caravan, but with just one passenger — his wife. ;