Bus strike saving board money

Press, 16 December 1985, Page 1

Bus strike saving board money

By

JOHN HARFORD

The strike by bus drivers is saving the Christchurch Transport Board between $5OOO and $lO,OOO a day.

The general manager of the Transport Board, Mr Max Taylor, said yesterday that savings on the bus services, which cost more to run than they generate in revenue, would be short term only.

The board was worried about the long term effects the strike could have on bus patronage. A pamphlet issued by the Transport Board earlier this year titled “How We Fared” gave a break-down on the costs of running the bus service. It said on average the cost of carrying each passenger was $1.07 while the fare received was 36c. A grant from the Government of 28c per passenger, a ratepayer contribution' of 34c, and another 9c from other trading revenue was needed to meet the cost of carrying each passenger. For each day the buses have not been running, the board has effectively saved money. Today will be the sixteenth day that buses have not run since a dispute over a drivers’ claim for a $32 a week industry allowance began in October. Using Mr Taylor’s estimate of savings, the Transport Board has so far saved a minimum of $BO,OOO and possibly as much as $160,000. The national secretary of

the Tramways Union, Mr Henry Stubbs, said last week that drivers would return to work if they were still out on Christmas Eve. If the strike finished then the total saving could be $240,000.

Mr Taylor said he was concerned that former bus patrons would continue to use alternative means of transport when the buses returned.

Some bus services might have to be cut if too many people chose not to use them later. Fewer services would ultimately mean fewer jobs for drivers. Drivers might not be replaced when they left their jobs, Mr Taylor said. The public seemed to have taken a "so what” attitude toward the strike, said Mr Taylor.