Passing Comments
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AS evidence of the increasing popularity of radio equipment for coaches, Mr. R. E. Brown, a director of Duple Bodies and Motors, Ltd., told us the other day that practically all the coaches recently delivered by that firm have been equipped with radio. Mr. S. H. Miller, of National Radio Services, Ltd., also stated that his company is busy installing radio in coaches at many centres through out the country. He mdhtioned that during one experiment 90 per cent. of the passengers concerned approved of the innovation. I F the development of rubber road surfaces is to proceed some means for making that material less slippery in wet weather will have to be found. A brief observation of that stretch of rubber-surfaced road in New Bridge Street, Bla.ckfriars, London, will suffice to impress the beholder with this fact, provided, of course, that the surface be wet at the time. Buses which stop on that particular piece of roadway find difficulty in getting away and we have seen a motorcycle, the front wheel of which was diverted by the wind, skid badly. MANY road-transport operators do not fully appreciate the considerable amount of time and money given voluntarily by officers of associations in the cause of the industry. Some of that expense and time could, however, be saved if committee members were to make sure of their cases and their requirements before travelling, perhaps, 100 miles to a meeting. The wastage of time would also be avoided if they always kept their demands within reasonable bounds and expressed their requirements in concise terms.
iT was recently thought that, in submitting 90 appeals at one time, Mr. E. Lustgarten, who frequently appears as legal representative of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., had created a record. This record, however, stood for only a week, when Mr. E. S. Herbert placed before Sir Henry Wynne (on behalf of the Minister of Transport) a group of 160 appeals. Incidentally, the latter were probably amongst the most complicated yet heard and concerned the important co-ordination scheme of a number of the large coach and bus companies in Yorkshire and Lancashire. ONE wonders whether the authorities of some ‘-"coastal resorts fully appreciate the benefits which the coaching industry has bestowed upon them. The municipality of Blackpool realises that coaching has "
made" the town and accordingly encourages operators, but some others are not so enlightened. It is an undoubted fact that road travel has put many towns " on the map" to a degree that could never have been achieved by the railways.
IVIOST hauliers are appreciative of the way in iviwhich certain of the Traffic Commissioners are endeavouring to consolidate tho road haulage industry insofar as present operators are concerned. Not all, however, will regard the means to that end as being flattering to their self-esteem, as, for example, when one Commissioner, in discouraging an applicant whom he evidently regarded as being unsatisfactory, suggested to him that he cast his eyes upon those present in the court, recommending him to mark their downcast and dissatisfied appearance, telling him that they were typical hauliers, and suggesting he would be wise to seek out other methods of earning a living.