TRANSPORT PROBLEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20111, 23 November 1928, Page 14

TRANSPORT PROBLEM.

ADVOCATE OF BUSES. VIEW OF SYDNEY OPERATOR. A firm believer in tho use of buses in city transport is Mr. F. 11. Stewart, proprietor of the Metropolitan Omnibus and Transport Company, of Sydney, and now on a visit to Auckland. Mr. Stewart emphasises the necessity for standardisation of motor vehicles in any largc-scalo passenger transport service. Mr. Stewart, who is the owner of 85 buses in Sydney, said yesterday, that until recently Sydney had experienced tho samo lack-of standardisation as was now noticeablo in Auckland, hut when economic pressure had forced out tho smaller operators stabilisation of tho motor-bus industry had been followed by successful standardisation of equipment and methods An instance was found in tho fact that, of tho 85 buses ho owned, 84 were of the same mako and typo. Discussing running costs Mr. Stewart said ho doubted the possibility of running buses on a basis of anything less than Is 6d a mile—his own cost was a fraction over that. Each of his buses carried two men. The New South Wales law necessitated it, but apart from that tho cost of a conductor, at about 2d a mile, was well worth the timo saved in the collection of fares.

In Sydney buses ran on and beyond tram routes, but Jliere was a likelihood of bus and tram services being merged, and there was an agitation for tho removal of tramways /rom the heart*of tho city.- Of the tram versus bus controversy Mr. Stewart said argument was largely theorotiral, since buses had novcr had an opportunity of dealing with peak loads in "a large city. In his opinion, at hours of peak traffic, cities were flooded ( with tramcars, congesting all traffic and getting in their own way. They lacked mobililv, and buses might do quito as well. Bus questions will bo discussed by Mr. Ftewart with tho tramways department of the # City Council.