Two Bus Company Officials Claim Dwindling Patronage, Operating Loss
Inconvenience vs. loss of revenue was the theme of a seven-hour Public Service Commission hearing Wednesday on a reduction of suburban service by Eastern Greyhound Lines.
Twenty-nine witnesses, each testifying he was a long-term, regular bus rider who depended on Greyhound service, emphasized that schedule changes have upset their patterns of travel.
Two witnesses, officials of the bus company, submitted exhibits showing dwindling patronage and an operating loss, on affected schedules.
Protests were made by passengers regarding changes on routes connecting Buffalo to Lotus Bay, Port Allegany, Lockport and East Aurora.
Cites 1956-59 Study
John R. Stokes, director of transportation for Eastern Greyhound Lines, said the adjustments are necessary “to tailor service to meet riding needs.”
He cited a study from 1956 through 1959 and referred to conditions on two of the suburban lines as representative:
In these years, the Buffalo-Lockport Division had a drop of only 1% in bus-miles traveled while the number of passengers dropped 17%. The Buffalo-East Aurora Division showed a decline of 2% in bus-miles against a 22% drop in passengers.
Would Drop 2 Trips
“I turn down rides to ride on the bus,” Arthur W. Glogan, Old Lake Shore Rd., Town of Evans, exclaimed in opposing the elimination of a commuter trip morning and afternoon between Buffalo and Lotus Bay.
Mr. Glogan was one of five persons testifying who use the bus daily to reach Buffalo jobs. A proposed schedule change would deprive residents along a 10-mile section of the Lake Shore of a 7:15 AM inbound trip and a 4:30 PM outbound trip.
Their alternative would be to take a 6:30 AM bus and return home at 5:35 PM — an hour later.
Mr. Glogan was a member of the original committee which obtained bus service for Lotus Bay 14 years ago.
Express Concern
Frank Howder, Old Lake Shore Rd., Town of Evans, said the population of the area has doubled in the last ten years and residents “are entitled to the minimum service maintained in the past few years.”
Concern by residents of Franklinville, Delevan, Arcade and Sardinia centered on the loss of Cattaraugus County to enable a fuller expression of opposition.
The former 9:15 PM bus from Buffalo to Holland now terminates in East Aurora. This was the target of Holland and South Wales witnesses who are employed in Buffalo and frequently depended on this mid-evening bus for transportation when they had to work overtime.
John E. Kilburn, Emery Rd., South Wales, testified that no member of his family drives a car. “Taking a cab from East Aurora to home is rather expensive,” he observed.
2 Speak for Group
Donald J. Moore, Olean Rd., Holland, concluded his appeal with the fervent declaration:
“There is no more faithful man than I to the Greyhound bus line.”
Mrs. Doris Essex and Miss Nora Nuwer were spokesmen for an Elma delegation of 25 unhappy commuters. Adjustments of the East Aurora schedule leave them with poor connections for their travel to Buffalo employment.
Elimination of the 11:55 PM trip from Buffalo to Lockport was protested by four persons, including Miss Ella Strom, 81 Albion St., Eggertsville, a Columbus Hospital employee. Her only alternate way home after evening duty requires her to walk along a dark street after getting off a bus, she testified.
Cites Higher Costs
Mr. Stokes testified for Greyhound that the 1959 cost to operate a bus averaged 56.22 cents a mile.
He said suburban costs are higher than the average because “utilization of equipment is down and labor costs are up, since we don’t get as many hours or as many miles from a driver.”
Frederick Dunikoski, Buffalo-area transportation superintendent, testified he recommended the schedule adjustments. “They were predicated on the number of people patronizing a run,” he said.
Titus Presides
Based on trip reports by drivers over a two-week period from Jan. 25 to Feb. 7, he submitted these reports of revenue cents per mile, reflecting sizable operating losses on eliminated trips:
11:55 PM, Buffalo to Lockport: 25 cents.
10:45 AM, Port Allegany to Buffalo: 36.81 cents.
9:15 PM, Buffalo to Holland
