ROAD SERVICES

Hokitika Guardian, 19 March 1940, Page 2

ROAD SERVICES

INFLUENCE OF WAR ON REORGANISATION.

CHRISTCHURCH, March 18

During the first' six months ol war considerable changes have taken place in the organisation of motor transport iri the No. 3 licensing area, which includes the West Coast, Nelson, Marlborough, arid Canterbury, To render the industry ■ capable of withstanding the anticipated shocks of a reduced supply, of. petrol, a possible drain of manpower’s and rearrangement of the economic ilife of the, -country, the Government early appointed .advisory, coordination, committees to survey the transport facilities of each district and to' recommend such changes as would increase efficiency and strengthen the industry’s organisation. ' . Several of these committees in the No. 3 District—which in every case have consisted of one representative of the Transport Department, one from the Railway Departrnent, and one from the motor transport industry—have completed their reports. The reports have been considered by the Minister for Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) and. referred to the No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr T. H. Langford), who has* now exercised his power of confirming the agreements made for the rearrangement of services under the auspices of the advisory committees. The information which has hither to been confidential was released by Mr Langford yesterday, The greatest degree of reorganisation has been effected on the West Coast, in the' area between Hokitika and Karamea. . The advisory committee who made recommendations estimated to save 90,000 to 110,000 vehicle miles a’ year,. consisted of Messrs J. J. B. Connor (chairman, Transport Department), C. R. Howard (Westport), and W. Rodgers (Railways). Extracts from their general submission follows : " ‘.‘While it is true that a number of proposals are vague in their terms, they represent a great advance in the outlook of the operators and their approach to transport problems, and in practice they secure economy . . . The numerous meetings held provoked discussion and thought; and' apart from immediate and material results it is felt that the imponderable benefits arising from greater understanding, better relationships, and an increased appreciation- of responsibilities augurs well for future progress.” • Because of the type of traffic, operators on the West Coast found that no general scheme'could be applied to the area as a whole, but that economics could be effected best by a series of arrangements between small groups of two or three operators serving small districts and not in general competition with other operators in the area. Traffic pools have been established by three out of the four operators working in £pid around Dobson, Stillwater, and Ngahere, and by three operators in Kumara to secure.full loading for every truck that makes a trip. A similar agreement has been made between Ashburton Transport, Ltd., and Transport (Geraldine), Ltd., whereby the servicing of overlapping areas is eliminated and each company provides to find a backload for the other when a trucklias made a trip into tile other’s territory.

Services have been amalgamated by outright purchase in Ahaura, and by a co-operative dairy company buying out two competitors in the KokatahiKoiterangi district. A large transport company operating from AVcstnort Ims bought out the service of a small .operator running between Westport and Denniston, and expects to save 14,000 vehicle miles a year. The same company has come to an arrangement with two carriers in Karamea.

Of the four operators who used to bring fruit, produce, and general goods from Nelson and to take back coal and timber from Greymouth and inangahua, only one is now operating. This service now makes Inaugahua its terminus, using the railway or the AVest-. port company to carry the goods south/; Special arrangements have been made;’ to market the fruit, for two oi tlici eliminated operators were more in the nature of dealers. An annual vehicle mileage saving 75,000-90,030 miles, additional to the general figure given’ above, will result. Ancillary users between Greymouth and Reef ton have had their activities considerably restricted, while certain others, by a decision.of the licensing authority, have ceased operation in Canterbury. The transport system of the Inungahua County has been completely overhauled. By taking over the mail contract from the Railway Department. D; A. Reid, of Alarum, has been nine to eliminate one trip a week. The same operator has taken over the oiie.weekly service of Newman Bros., Ltd. to Alaruia, Hie goods service operated from Reefton by Alessrs Patterson unu Robertson, tlie two town carriers licenses in Reel toil, and has been permitted to carry pfiskeiigefs on his goods service. At the same time agreement has been reached with Transport (Nelson), Ltd., to eliminate overlapping, and to facilitate unified management the Railway Department lias voluntarily dropped its goods-service license as a gesture of goodwill. Taxi services have been reorganised in several towns. One firm has bought out its competitor and operates four instead of seven cabs at Hokitika. A similar arrangement has been effected at AA'cstport. In Reefton two taximon have bought out a third, and have made a legal arrangement by which they have agreed to meet the train on alternate days, and have arranged that the guard on the incoming train will advise them if the number of passengers warrants more than one cab. About half of the taximon in Timaru have combined to form one company.

which has'since operated very successfully. The other taximon in Timaru are members cf a co-operative concern.Fifteen out of the 21 licenses have now! been amalgamated into one company at; Nelson.

The organisation of town carrier services has not been nearly so mained. Ln Greymouth four carriers have established a central depot, but in this town, as well as in Hokitika, AA’cstport. and elsewhere, the advisory committee thought that there was room for considerable improvement, while pointing to the danger to any scheme of the (large number of trade vehicles and the unregulated activities of horse-drawn units. Town carriers have not had their petrol supplies restricted; trade vehicles have been. cut down hv onethird. Milk distributors in Christchurch have agreed to a zoning system.

The tempo of change is not likely to slacken for some time. Negotiations for reorganisation are still in train at niehmond, Waiuta, and Tcmuka.