BUSES FOR HATAITAI

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 44, 16 November 1925, Page 10

BUSES FOR HATAITAI

SERVICE TO COMMENCE ' W-VAX

FOR CONVENIENCE, NOT

PROFIT

As announced last week, the new bus service at Hataitai, which is to act as a feeder to the trams,' will be initiated at 7 a.m. this morning, when one of the Republic buses will commence a loop service from the tramway stop in Waitoa Road, returning by way of Hataitai Road, thus tapping the whole of the valley. The service is to be maintained from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., and from noon until 6.30 p.m.,’ with evening hours on Fridays—the late shopping night. The fare will be 2d. for the iournev or any part of it. No concession tickets will apply. It is not anticipated, whatever may be said to tlie contrary, that this service will pay. as interest on the capital cost of the bus, the running cost, and the driver’s wages will run to a sum not likely to be recouped by the revenue. Still the service will be a great convenience to people, particularly in bad weather, and the tramways department will have to stand the racket in the meantime. Later on a through service from Hataitai to Oriental Bay, via Grafton Road and the new Carlton Gore Road, may be tried, but even if that service weie possible there are still those who have their doubts as to whether such a run would prove commercially successful. /

_ This district is a very awkwardly situated one foi any kind of service, as the population is, and always must be, restricted, whilst in practice buses only nav when they run on good roads between a city and a populous suburb. In addition, the cost of motor traction on the stiff grades adds to the running costs as opposed to those incurred on level roads. From this it will be seen that almost any feeder service by motor bus in Wellington is more likely to be a burden on the tramways department than a blessing financially. Such services must be regarded simply as a convenience to those people who dwell remote from the tramway tracks. There has been some mention of motor buses de luxe for certain routes in the city, but it would take a good deal, of argument to establish anv justification for an extravagant outlay on this class of vehicle, for it is extremely aoubttul whether people would be prepared to pay three times the ordinary bus fare for the privilege of riding de luxe.