BUS FARES INCREASED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23887, 15 August 1939, Page 10

BUS FARES INCREASED

EXTRA PETROL TAXATION. AUCKLAND BOARD'S DECISION (Per United Press Association; AUCKLAND, Aug. 14. Owing to the Budget increase in the petrol tax, workers in some Auckland suburbs will pay more for their weekly bus tickets. This decision was made to-day by the Transport Board, when applications to raise fares were received from two bus services. PRIVATE COMPANIES CONFERENCE ON FARES (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Aug. 14. No move has yet been made on the part of the major passenger bus concerns in Auckland to raise their fares as a result of the increase in petrol tax Meetings are planned for the near future to discuss the matter. In the case of the North Shore Transport Company, which is the largest bus company in Auckland, operating a fleet of 44 vehicles, half of which have Diesel engines, the management expects that the increase in operating costs for the next year will be about £IBOO. Keys' buses, operating on the Waterfront road, are expected to cost £I2OO more to run this year, and the company has decided to carry the extra burden until the end of the financial year, when the position will be reviewed. A third large operating concern, the Passenger Transport Company, has set the extra cost brought about by the increased petrol tax at £I3OO a year for its fleet of 30 vehicles. At the present time the company does not intend to pass the cost on to the public if it can possibly avoid such action. It will, however, be associated with the meetings planned. The financial year of the company will end in November.