HIGHER MOTOR FARES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20960, 25 August 1931, Page 10

HIGHER MOTOR FARES.

AUCKLAND TO TARANAKI. CUT RATES JETTISONED. END OF FOUR MONTH'S "WAR." After operating for nearly four months on a fare of £1 for the service-car journey between Auckland and New Plymouth, the four competing organisations have reached an agreement, effective from to-day, whereby the fare will be increased to £2, with appropriate readjustments for travel between intermediate points. As tho distance between Auckland and New Plymouth is 250 miles, the fare recently current worked out at less than a penny a mile, and was probably the cheapest scale operating anywhere in the Dominion. Two years ago the fare was £3 ss, but, as competition became more intense, there were successive reductions to £2 15s, to £2 10s, to £2 ss, and eventually to £1 15s. Then, toward the end of April one organisation announced a sensational reduction to £l, and, to retain their share of the patronage, the other concerns were forced to follow suit.

An unusual feature of the ' war on this route has been that tho fare between New Plymouth and Te Kuiti, the approximate half-way point, has remained at £l> so that, in effect, the traveller from New Plymouth north could travel free from To Kuiti to Auckland. Under tho new agreement, the fare from New Plymouth to To Kuiti will remain at £l, but an extra 10s will bo charged if tho journey is continued to Hamilton, and £2 will bo the through rato from New Plymouth to Auckland. " Tho fare of £1 proved thoroughly uneconomic," said tho representative of one organisation in /discussing tho new schedule yesterday. " The reduction in tho rate to £1 was probably the cause of an increaso in traffic, but such a low charge could not bo maintained if regard were to be had to efficient service and proper equipment. It cost about sixpence a mile io run a service car, and, as tho fare was less than a penny a mile, it was necessary to have full loading all the time to keep abreast of expenses. Tho recent reduction in the price of petrol by a penny a gallon did little to ease tho strain. Our cars use from 15 to 18 gallons on the through trip, so, at tlie most, the saving amounts to only Is 6d a trip." .Sinco tho Northern Steamship Company withdrew its passenger steamer service between Onehunga and Now Plymouth last year the service-cars have offered the only convenient travel route between Auckland and New Plymouth. Tho service-cars cover the distance in about 10 hours, whereas the round-about railway roule via Marlon involves a journey, including waiting time, of from 10 to 24 hours. However, it was recently announced that the new rail connection between the two provinces via Ohura would be opened next year. While that will place tho trains on a better competitive basis, the highway route will still be about 50 miles shorter.