TRANSPORT TO SUBURBS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18690, 22 April 1924, Page 9

TRANSPORT TO SUBURBS.

CONVEYANCE OF PASSENGERS.

MOTOR SERVICE POSSIBILITIES.

The cessation, or, at the best, the dislocation of the railway suburban service has perforce turned attention to the question of substitute means of transport to and from the city for business of thousands of residents in the suburbs beyond the tramway areas. During the last few days a suggestion has been made that in the event of a railway strike definite steps would be taken for securing the fleet of motor charabancs to tide over the transit difficulty. Inquiries made last evening from charabanc drivers failed to elicit a definite statement, but without doubt the owners of these vehicles will cater for the requirements of passenger traffic from the outer suburbs.

On the question of speed, it is stated that the charabanc can beat the train. As evidence of this one well-known charabanc proprietor said he recently left Auckland 15 minutes after a train, took passengers to the Pukekohe racecourse and then was in time to meet the train on its arrival at Pukekohe. The recognised charabancs, carrying from 30 to 40 people, are not, however, the only vehicles available in an emergency such as now exists. There are scores of owners of motor vehicles of all descriptions only too ready, when opportunity arises, to earn money as passenger carriers. One of the most remarkable mechanical advances of the past decade has been the steady growth of road transit in the Dominion, and in this development the Auckland province has shown its full share of enterprise. In the Auckland metropolitan area over 12.000 motor vehicles are registered, including 330 taxicabs and 210 omnibuses. Considering the population, these figures are some assurance to the resident of outlying districts that he need not abandon hope of travel because the railwaymen have struck. Apart from any projected charabanc service the owners of private cars may be relied upon to "give a lift" whenever possible.