TRAMS AND BUSES

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1931, Page 7

TRAMS AND BUSES

COST OF SERVICES. COMPARISONS IN WELLINGTON. “The question of bus services is a most difiicu'lt one,” said Mr. G. Mitchell, a Civic League candidate for election to the Wellington City Council in an address a few days ago. “Hie publie demand has been for bigger and better buses, until they are now most luxurious a (fairs, some of them doing only five miles to the gallon of petrol.” Mr. Mitchell gfive the following comparison of the cost and returns: —lhe trams cost 23 l-3d per mile to run; they earn 23fd. The buges cost 21|d per car'mile to run; they earn The trams carry 10 people per car mile; the buses 3 2-3. The power of transport for trains is made in New Zealand; the bus power is imported. Buses are necessary feeders to trams, but to run buses with twenty-four seats for less that four people and to run them alongside half-empty trams is wasteful. “It would appear that a smaller bus, which could be run at a greatly reduced cost, would give the outlying people quite as good a service, viit out some of the loss, and allow he services to be maintained and improved.