THE BUSES OF PARIS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 111, 6 November 1937, Page 28

THE BUSES OF PARIS

TRAMS THING OF THE PAST

A marked transformation has taken place in Paris passenger transport during the last few years. Whereas formerly there, were 157 different electric tram,services,- today there is not one. The systems have been replaced by over 4000 motor-buses which operate over 226 service lines, the total length of t which amounts to 1240 miles. The 'suburbs are served by over 150 bus routes.

All told, over 1,000,000,000 passengers are carried annually, and more than 25,000 drivers, conductors, and mechanics are employed on the services, exclusive of administrative and office staffs.

Of the -huge .fleet of buses, 2882 are 50 passenger units, the balance being 48 and..26rseaters. Most of the buses are _r.un: on: a: .flfty-fifty mixture of power alcohol and low-grade petrol. Statistics gathered from five different lines on which buses have recently replaced trams show passenger increases from 41 per cent, to as much as 58 per cent. The maximum, speed at which buses may travel to the suburbs of .Paris is 30 m.p.h,,' and the average speed, including all stops, is 13J m.p.h., as compared with 8.68 m.p.h. of the trams that used to -serve the same routes.

If a new car seem* to develop steering difficulties after it has been driven some hundreds of miles, have a competent mechanic check front-wheel camber, caster, and toe-in. Settling springs and other stresses on new parts occasionally, cause misalignment.