LOWER MILEAGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20050, 23 September 1939, Page 4

LOWER MILEAGE

TRANSPORT CONTROL EFFICIENCY MEASURE CONSUMPTION OF PETROL OPERATORS’ APPROVAL Unanimous approval was given at a fully-attended meeting of road transport operators in the Gisborne district and on the East Coast, held last night, to the principle of full co-operation with the Government in a scheme to eliminate uneconomic mileage in the transport business as a major step towards economy in the consumption of petrol.

The scheme is primarily a war measure, planned to conserve to the greatest possible degree the available petrol supplies. It will operate for the duration of the war, and the owners of transport vehicles later will have the opportunity to decide whether it will be continued.

The immediate effect probably yvill be that all road transport will come under the supervision of a committee for the district, on which the Government, the Railways Department, and the private operators will have (representation.

The need for a uniform system of national control of transport for war purposes was explained by Mr. H. J. Knight, the national secretary of the Transport Alliance, and Mr. Gunn, a representative of the Transpojrt Department.

It was pointed' out that there are to be 21 transport districts in the Dominion, and that each would have its own committee, responsible for the control of operations in its own locality and for bringing the (general management of transport within the scope of the petrol-economy scheme approved by the Government. Operators’ Effective Voice The operators would have an effective voice in the control of their business, the district committee being empowered to make recommendations as to how the system of control should be applied, and the transport association being the body which would administer the scheme in the district. Membership of the association will be made compulsory for all operators, and awards, now in existence will not be affected by the change In control. Road passenger services will not be required to vary their system of operation in any material degree except that, should it become necessary, schedules will be cut down and means will be devised to give the public the fullest possible service compatible with the necessity for conserving petrol.

Uneconomic running of motor trucks o(ii the roads already has been greatly reduced by the operation of the Transport Act, and by the coordination of the businesses of certain major operators; but s there is still a field for further saving, mainly through the raising of the average pay-loads

Elimination of unnecessary vehicles will be an essential part of the process, a.nd it is estimated that the savings in cost to the industry as a whole will more that* counterbalance the individual inconvenience caused-

Ancillary Services and Railway

The continuance o£ ancillary services running parallel with railway services will depend upoip their service to the public, it was further explained. The Government desires to effect the greatest possible economy in the use of petrol, consistent with efficiency

Mr. Knight made it clear that the Minister of Transport was confident in the ability of the operators to develop an organisation which would take care of the industry’s needs, and meet the Government’s , wishes for petrol economy .without dictation from the Government. Economy and rationalisation had had to come, and the war measure merely hastened what the more progressive operators had foreseen as a natural development.

Town and area transport operators, and taxi companies alike, would be affected to the degree that resources must be pooled, and central depots created, he added.

After a lengthy discussion, the following motion was carried by the meeting: “’That this meeting of transport operators of Gisborne and the East Coast expresses appreciation of the opportunity given by the Minister of Transport for the operators themselves to devise means to put the war measures into effect, and pledges its support to the Minister in the application of co-ordination, primarily as a war measure.” Mr. R. F. Gambrill was nominated as the transport operators’ representative on the district committee, and the nomination received, unanimous endorsement.

Mr. T. P, Hogan, chairman of the meeting, expressed to Messrs. Knight and Ginn the thanks of the operators for their explanation ot the objects of the Government.