United Motors Service of
is 22 miles away. Coimbatore to Gobichettipalayam is a
busy route whereon there are other services; this explains
the low rate of 12 annas on a distance of 54 miles. Again,
Mettupalayam to Tiruppur—a distance of 33 miles is
charged 10 annas, whereas Palghat to Coimbatore which is
only three miles shorter gets a reduced rate of six annas.
This illustrates the great truth that in all forms of
transport, competition sets the rate of chargeability. There
was a general increase in these rates when the petrol tax
was introduced. In the initial stages 3 pies for every
ticket of the value of four annas were charged extra,
6 pies for 8 annas, nine pies for tickets costing 12 annas
and an anna for all tickets of the value of a rupee and
above. Now, however, a flat rate of an additional anna
per every ticket is charged.
The U. M. S. serves a large part of an area that is
devoid of all railway facilities so that the mails have to
be taken by road. The combine handles a large bulk of
the postal mails and holds contracts for eight routes.
Possession of a mail contract is always indicative of
affluence and efficiency so that there is great competition
for this. Hence, in a number of cases the U. M. S. iad
to outbid its competitors to retain the contracts. Tfee
following figures for a few contracts make the position
clear:—
POSTAL CONTRACT RATES.
~   ,.	Previous       Present
Section.	Contract     Contract.
Bs.	Ks.
Erode-Dharapuram	.-	§50	550
Erode-Satyamangalam      ..	350	122
Timppur-Palladam	..	50	10
Tiruppur-Avanashi	«.	50	10
Triehur-Kohiiizampwa      . *	225	iS5.