Bus revenue up

Press, 3 February 1982, Page 6

Bus revenue up

The Christchurch Transport Board buses suffered only a slight decrease in the number of passengers carried in the first nine months of the financial year compared with a comparable period last year.

In the nine months from April 1 last year until January 3, patronage decreased by 1.2 per cent, a loss of only

123,169 passengers on the 10 million who were carried at the same time 12 months ago, the board heard yesterday.

This less than expected decrease in patronage has meant that the revenue earned in the period was well above that estimated, with $3.3 million being received, an increase of $200,000 on estimated returns.

Other revenue earnings such as charters and rentals are also well ahead of estimates.

A decrease in estimated

running expenses adds to the healthy picture. Thanks mainly to stable diesel prices in the latter half of last year, the board’s actual diesel costs are nearly $lOO,OOO lower than estimated. In total, the board is $300,000 inside estimated costs for the nine months of this financial year. The board is also. treating with “cautious optimism” preliminary figures for the first four weeks functioning under the new fare schedule which show a net revenue increase of 13 per cent, which suggests a passenger loss of only 1.2 per cent. These figures are “very much provisional.”

The new fare schedule was introduced on January 3 this year and increased fares by approximately 15 per cent. Route review The setting up of a computer model to assess the effects of possible route

changes took another step forward with the completion of Stage 2 of the project. The study was begun in June, 1979, . with the first stage completed a year later. Stage 2 of the project is designed to lead up to the implementation of changes to the system. The report, which was prepared by a Christchurch consulting agency, offers a series of recommendations which have been accepted in principle by the board. Two policy recommendations concerning subsidies and peak period travel will be studied by a review committee. The board’s chairman, Mr J. Mathison, said he had never seen such a comprehensive report and investigation of passenger transport. Stage 2 of the report, although accepted in principle, is not binding and will be studied by the board’s staff before any changes to the services are accepted.