Japanese bus

The Japanese bus (日本のバス) describes the bus situation in Japan. In this section, we describe a bus as a passenger car transportation business. For bus vehicle classification, structure, technology I would like to refer to Japanese buses vehicles.

history
Dawn
From the Osaka Mainichi Newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun in 1902 (Meiji 35), Aichi 1903 (Meiji 36) in the new Aichi, articles from the Gifu Daily Newspaper, Kochi Prefecture Kochi City Nakaso Town (now Kochi City Sakurai Town) Imabari Inokuma used oil-driven vehicles manufactured in Osaka by 1902 (Meiji 35) until around March 1902 (Meiji 35) to around July 1903 (Meiji 36) July Kochi to Ino It was inferred that the passenger car was operated and operated, while the details such as the capacity of the vehicle were unknown, there was a possibility that this was the first bus business in Japan.

In 1903 (Meiji 36), an extra bus route connecting Umeda and Tennoji was established for passenger transportation to the domestic industrial exposition held in Osaka.

On September 20, the same year, Mitsui Shokai tried to start bus sales operation in Kyoto city but received office suspension from the first day, officially opened on 21st November. The Japan Bass Association sets the first bus business in Japan as an example of this dual business, and the date of commissioning of the company, September 20, was set as the bus day and 1987 (Showa 62). However, since the number of vehicles used was six people, judgment is divided as to whether it can be said to be a bus like a vehicle.

In February 1905 (Meiji 38) a 12-seater bus (photo) was operated between Yokokawa and Yabe in Hiroshima. There is also the theory that this is the first bus service in Japan. However, because there were frequent occurrences such as vehicle breakdowns, lack of expenses (there were times when the silver coin was melted due to the procurement of parts), the business was terminated in September.

Various problems occurred in the initial bus business. The vendor who was operating in the above-mentioned city of Kyoto was obliged by a rickshaw union or a business operator who operated orbit within the city, and as a result of receiving relentless interference work, it would be forced to go out of business. Conflicts with such existing passenger operators were seen in various places. Also, at that time the pavement of the road was not advanced, so the bus could not demonstrate the ability as per the specs, there was a situation that the speed of representation was not improved easily. However, because it had the advantage of being able to operate if there was only one vehicle, small enterprises and individuals who did not form the body of the company entered the bus business one after another.

Taisho era
When the Taisho Kanto earthquake (Great Kanto earthquake) occurred on September 1, 1923, the Tokyo prefecture in the affected area was cut off by the railway orbit, and people’s daily legs were deprived. As an emergency measure, Tokyo Metropolitan Electric Bureau imported about 800 T-type Ford instead of damaged Tokyo City Electric, and converted to 11 seats and started a bus project. This bus business was greeted with a favorable reception, the emergency intention was changed to permanent operation, and it was nicknamed “Kyotaro bus”. This success in Tokyo city spread the bus business nationwide, and cargo transportation using import trucks also started, motorization in passenger and logistics arrived.

Meanwhile, the setting of bus lines that run parallel to existing railway and orbit began to increase, and it has come to have an adverse effect on them. Therefore, these iron orbit management companies acquire the business operator, or they set up their own affiliated bus company to establish a bus route from the blank railroad area to their own railway station, thereby increasing the railway railway sales by passengers , And the advance of the iron orbit business to the bus business has also come to progression.

Before the Second World War
Competition between bus companies also increased in intensity. For that purpose, the Automobile Transportation Business Act of 1933 was developed, and the principle of one line of business was created. As a result of this integration of bus operators progresses, transport consolidation and wartime integration are the deciding directions. Currently, many business operators operating route buses in Japan have created birth or company size. The form of integration was as early as one block business. However, there are cases of cohabitation household integration, and the actual situation is the integration and reorganization of the same capital operator. In the first place, cases where the intention of the latter is reflected in the method of dividing the integrated blocks themselves are also scattered. As an integration pattern, there were many things that unified railway operators and bus operators for each region. However, there are examples in which integration with railway operators was not performed only by bus operators, and integration with freight car operators was done in some cases. In addition, because bus consolidation was consolidated and eliminated before wartime integration, examples that did not receive real wartime integration (Shizuoka prefecture: Tokai, Nagano Prefecture: Kawanakajima car, Nagano Electric Railway), once the wartime bus business There are also examples (Kochi Prefecture Tosa Traffic, Kochi Prefecture Traffic) where the integration could not be accomplished after the war as a result of mismanagement negotiations failing, as an example that prevented the integration by completely shutting down (Kumamoto Prefecture: Kumamoto Electric Railroad). There are such circumstances when historical business operators in one city are confused. For this matter, items on the Land Transportation Project Adjustment Law are detailed.

Among these, public enterprises purchase private enterprises (public transportation in Akita City and Hakodate City was established at this time) or integrated, examples integrated with private enterprises are Hachinohe City, Toyama City Only. Like Yokohama City, there are many places that have almost not been affected.

From the end of World War II until deregulation
After the war, what was done was the review of the integrated system. Representation of the major private railways Tokyu Corporation, Kinki Nippon Railway, Keihansin Express Express Railway is famous, but local bus companies are also being implemented at the North Bus, Shinan Traffic, Tokushima Western Traffic etc. Meanwhile, there are examples of returning integrated routes, for example, the southern railway (now, the southern bus) returns the integrated line to Hachinohe City, Kanagawa Chuo Kotsu is carrying out the return of two routes to Enoshima Electric Railroad. Apart from this, examples in which iron orbit operators integrated only bus business during wartime resume newly after the war (Sagami Railway, Maruto Ueda Electric Railway (now Ueda Kotetsu), Okayama Electric orbit) are also successive It is.

Among these, Yamasa bus → Hiroshima suburban bus (now: Hiroshima Kotsu), Hiroshima Imperial bus (now: Hiroshima bus), Toyo bus (Chiba), Uchiyama car (present Ibaraki express car) etc It was decided to start a new bus business. In another place that changed, Osaka taxi operator Sawasaki went to Tottori prefecture bus company (present Nippon Traffic). Amagasaki-shi and Itami-shi were also born as public service providers, and many others did not realize.

From the latter half of the 1950s only ten years after the war will be promoted to be transferred under the umbrella of local business operators mainly for the purpose of tourism development by some major private railways. Mainly speaking, Tokyu Corporation, Hokkaido and Shin-Etsu, Tokai-Hokuriku of Nagoya Railroad, Chugoku Region of Kinki Nippon Railroad, etc. are remarkable. Behind this, there are a number of cases where local business operators whose management has deteriorated due to labor disputes or natural disasters have requested support from major business operators. Among them, mergers of businesses that were under the same capital were created. In the Tokyo Tama area, the Keio Okutama Promotion, the Wenzhou car, Takao car merged to the West Tokyo bus, the Izaka prefecture merged the Keisei Tsukuba railway of the Keisei line and the Kashima Shinku railway, the Kanto railroad was established There. At the same time, the reorganization of local business operators was also done, in 1960 Nagaoka Railway, Chuetsu Motors, Tochio Electric Railway merged to Echigo Traffic, Efforts in Fukushima Electric Railway in 1961 absorbed Fukushima Prefecture South Traffic, in Fukushima Traffic, in 1964 The state automobile merged the Minamisato Railway, Kagoshima Traffic was born. Another noteworthy thing in this era is the establishment of a long distance route. At this time, an express bus company is born with a joint venture of multiple bus companies. This time was still called the bus golden age, and the number of passengers aboard the bus rose sharply.

However, from around the late 1960’s the situation gradually changed. The main reason for this is the development of automobile traffic (private cars, motorization in a narrow sense) and the accompanying delayed occurrence due to chronic urban congestion and depopulation in rural areas. Along with this, reorganization of bus operators and withdrawal of bus business are seen in many areas. As concrete examples of realignment, in 1970 Miyagi Central Bus, Miyagi Bus, Miyagi Traffic Born Merging Sennan Traffic, Miyagi Traffic Born in 1976, Iwate Prefecture South Bus in Iwate Prefecture, Iwate Central Bus in Iwate Prefecture, Iwate Central Bus in Hawaii Iwate prefecture traffic which the bus was born was born.

Even in the 1980s, the pace of decline did not wane and the situation became even more serious. In particular, the rapid change in bus business due to the rapid development of automobile traffic appeared clearly in the Gunma area, in addition to the reorganization of the prefecture bus companies in the past, in Tatebayashi City was once the only in Japan It was a city without a bus route.

Recent situation
With the enforcement of the “Revised Road Transport Law” in February 2002, the public regulation of the bus bus service was removed (so-called “deregulation of the bus business” means this), entry into the business While shifting from the system to the licensing system for each business operator) and withdrawal from the deficit route (transition to the preliminary notification system) will be quite free, while the existence and abolition of the regional buses will be subject to the subjectivity of each municipality including fiscal measures Became. As a phenomenon due to the revision of the law, competition for price cuts in freight rates has occurred due to new entrants into chassis bus business (general passenger passenger car transportation business) by charter bus specialized company, ship, taxi, and trucking company, mainly in major cities There is a route.

On the other hand, in the existing bus company, abolition of unprofitable routes and division by region is carried out, while businesses who stopped the business themselves are also appearing. Community buses by municipalities, take over by white number buses subject to the application of Article 80 of the Road Transport Law (formerly), and switch to a taxi cab are conducted in various places as regional foot securing. As an attempt to utilize IT since the 1990’s, a bus location system has been introduced in bus companies all over the country.

On the other hand, in February 2008, a coastal bus in Hokkaido made a new attempt to maintain the operation, such as planning a bus tour that dominates Hokkaido northern area by using unprofitable routes and appeals the current state of rural traffic Business operators are also appearing.

Current situation

Mode of operation
There are roughly classified bus types (buses for buses), charter buses (sightseeing buses), specific transportation (shuttle buses) as types of buses viewed from the mode of operation.

scheduled bus
It operates a predetermined route at a fixed time and responds to unspecified large number of transportation demands.

General route bus
It is responsible for transportation within cities, transportation between residential areas and villages and the nearest railway station. In metropolitan areas, the number of customers has decreased due to the expansion of the subway network, in the suburbs and rural areas, the use of private cars and the depopulation, etc., the number of customers has decreased, the restructuring of the routes, the spinning by the region, the abolition of the routes has been done There. General bus routes can be classified into four.

Trunk line system
Feeder system (Terminal contact bus line / conserving bus)
Community bus system (Regional bus, Red bus, Minibus)
Demand bus system

Late-night bus
It is a bus that secures the feet of returning home in the midnight time zone and it is a bus that runs along the train after the train of commuter railways (commonly called late night express buses) and things that run regular routes (usually this is a late night bus and There are two kinds of things to call). The late-night express bus usually costs several times higher than the parallel railway, and the late-night bus usually takes twice as much fare as the running system.

Express bus
Route bus that carries out inter-city communication (dozens to hundreds of kilometers) using highways, there are daytime and night flights. There is no official definition by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism under jurisdiction. In general, these high-speed buses are very popular due to the fact that many railroads connect cities that do not go straight and because the fare is low, which is a field that is easy to profit among bus services. However, some big city operators have withdrawn from long-distance routes. On lines connecting metropolitan areas such as the Tokyo metropolitan area and the Keihanshin area, competition with low-cost member tour buses by tourist buses (charter bus) to be described later was also seen, and on the route bus side, low fare is set depending on the route He is fighting back.

Airport connection bus
It is a route bus that connects the city center and the airport away from the city. It is commonly called a limousine bus. There are cases where there are no railroads to access the airport or cases where buses are used due to troublesome transfer etc. even if there is a railway, and now it is getting set from various places.

Regular sightseeing bus
It is a bus that runs from stations and bus terminals and turns tourist attractions in turn. “Hatto bus” which is operated in Tokyo is representative. Although the appearance is similar to a sightseeing bus, it is legally a kind of a bus route to go around a fixed place at a fixed time.

Community bus
In order to secure the legs of the residents of the transportation blank area, the municipality is the main body of the planning, and it is a form of bus which entrusts mainly to private business operators. (Refer to the municipal bus.) It is characterized by relatively inexpensive fare setting, free route setting including narrow section, setting stop at short intervals, using barrier free and compact vehicles. Recently, “MOBAS” of Musashino-shi, Tokyo is a representative example, and it is also famous as a success example.

Chartered bus
A bus operated by being charter (charter). Travel route, time and personnel are planned separately for each case. It is used when traveling in multiples such as events at schools, companies, organizations and ceremonial occasions. This is also the case when a travel agency sets a tour whose main purpose is sightseeing.

Vehicles to be used vary depending on cases, but in general there are many private-type vehicles for charter bus type, and in case of short distance / small number, general route cars and mini bus etc. may be used.

Many of the buses based in the sightseeing area are depicted with illustration of the sightseeing spot entirely like the CAN Bass, Kumano Kodo Bus, Spanish Village Bus in Mie Kotsuke’s Ise Shima. Some carriers have vehicles also known as one-lane vehicles for the purpose of sharing with regular route buses and set inexpensive day trips on buses that do not require luxury in the facilities on weekends where there are plenty of vehicles (Kanagawa Central Transportation • Tokyu Bus etc.).

Since the 1990 ‘s, membership tour buses, which charter bus companies link with travel agencies and link large cities, are on the rise. Although this is not a bus route, it is a travel product planned by making tours connecting cities possible even on one way, showing similar effects to the route bus (high-speed bus) in terms of movement by an unspecified number of meetings ing. Depending on the route of use, it is possible to select vehicles that are more comfortable over vehicles ranging from vehicles that are inferior to highway buses (the price is cheaper instead), competing with low fares compared to buses Are increasing. The background of the rise of these tour buses is presumed to have an intention of increasing the occupancy rate of charter bus operators due to a decrease in group tours (tourism in the company, comfort tours, etc.) using sightseeing buses.

Specific transport (shuttle bus)
Specialized in the transportation of passengers limited to a certain range, such as commuters and school transport from the nearest station to commuters and school, transportation of passengers to hotels, hospitals, etc. Companies and organizations in the destination often consign and operate them. Note that this “specific transportation” is based on the Road Transport Law, and does not correspond to a shuttle bus by a private car.

business person
For details of each bus operator see Category: Japanese bus operators.

Bus operators in Japan are also complicated from the viewpoint of management. We will explain from that viewpoint here.

Number of enterprises
According to the statistics of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, in 2003, the number of enterprises in the bus bus business totaled 511, 466 private, and 45 publicly owned (see also public bus # public bus operators list). In 1993, 10 years ago, there were 348 privately-owned and 50 publicly owned, totaling 398. It has increased by more than 20% in 10 years. The background of the increase in the number of these businesses is the fact that each bus company has progressed spinning off. Classified according to the capital amount of the bus company, capital 50 million yen or less <49.3%>, capital less than 100 million yen <20.5%>, capital less than 500 million yen <18.2%>, capital sum 1 billion Yen or less <3.5%>, capital over 1 billion yen <8.6%>. On the other hand, in the case of charter bus operators, capital 50 million yen or less accounts for most of 87.1%, which shows that there are more SMEs than bus company bus companies.

In terms of business owners with more than 30 owned vehicles, there are many businesses with current account deficits (2007), both of which are profitable 66 / deficit 162 for private bus operators and black surplus 3 / deficit 25 for public bus operators.

Display of company name
Both the sightseeing buses and the buses are written in Japanese as the company name somewhere in the car body, but this is what we have to write based on the Road Transport Law. Generally it is written as “○ ○ bus” at the lower part of the rear part of the car body (behind the rear tire) and between the front and rear doors, but like the Hokkaido Kitami Bus route bus, the side is written in English letters • At the rear of the car body Some enterprises are notation (sightseeing bus type is written in Japanese as usual as usual).

Classification
Private (Inc., limited company, joint-stock company)
It is commonly seen among Japanese bus operators,

Bus specialized business
Iron orbital system operator
Entry companies from different industries due to recent deregulation
Especially, entering into bus service from charter bus and taxi, trucking industry
Can be classified into.

Public administration
Refers to what is being operated by a local public enterprise (transportation authority) defined in the Local Public Enterprise Law. In addition, buses operated by municipal governments that are not local public enterprises are not applicable here. Since it is the front of “citizen’s feet”, the route bus is the main body and a charter bus is added to it, but only Nagasaki Prefecture is established because the purpose of establishment was sightseeing transport and therefore operated a long distance high speed bus. Many are operated by municipalities, but Nagasaki Prefecture (Nagasaki prefecture bus) and Tokyo metropolitan bus (metropolitan bus) are unusual forms operated by prefectures. See public bus for details.

Local Government Direct Bus
Route bus operated by local government. The difference from public transportation is the operation under the definition of Article 78 (Old Article 80) of the above-mentioned Road Transport Law, and the vehicle is to become a white number (private car). Route buses of depopulated areas often take this form. There are also Article 78 bus which is not direct management of local government like the bus of Mizuo Self-Governing Body in Kyoto city. For details, please refer to the obsolete alternative bus, municipal bus.

Third sector
It is the case that the local government invests in the stock company. It is a method mainly used as a method of surviving the national iron deficit local line in the railway, but it is not used much in the bus. As a case, in case of a part company due to management rationalization, most cases call for local capital participation by local municipalities. The cases falling under this case are the Furano bus (former Asahikawa Electric orbit), the Toe neck bus (original cervical car), Nita Traffic (present Okuizumo Traffic, original Ichinoda Electric Railroad). In addition, there are cases where local governments participate in capital participation in transferring bus operators, such as when public transportation is transferred to privatization. In this case, as in the case of Hakodate Bus which took over Hakodate municipal bus, the example that the local government enters the third sector by participating in the existing business as the third sector, and the case where the Onomichi City Transport Bureau was privatized Omichi bus There is an example of establishing a sector company.

JNR bus
The bus operated by the National State Railway and Automobile Authority. It is supposed to start running a route bus to the incomplete part of the railroad. Following privatization of the National Railway in 1987, it was succeeded by JR companies. At this time, three companies in Honshu were supposed to be desirable from the beginning, so in 1988, one year later, from East Japan Railway, JR Bath Tohoku, JR Band Kanto, Tokai Railway from JR Tokai Bus, West Japan Railway From West Japan Railway bus, China JR Bus was split off.

The remaining Mishima company (JR Hokkaido, JR Shikoku, JR Kyushu) side continuously owned the bus business, but at the time of spinning, the JR is not an exception, but firstly the JR Hokkaido bus from the Hokkaido traveling railway continues From JR Kyushu Bus from Kyushu Railway Company, the remaining Shikoku Railway Company also spun off JR Shikoku Bus, and the bus business was made a subsidiary from all JR.

Institutional treatment

Before October 2006
A Japanese bus is a passenger car transportation business under the Road Transport Law and refers to one under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Vehicle Transportation Bureau. Regarding these buses, it is defined in Passenger Vehicle Transport in Chapter 2 of the Road Transport Law. Below, the applicable part is described by the Road Transport Law.

Article 3, “General Passenger Car Transportation Business (Passenger Car Transportation Business Other than Specified Passenger Car Transportation Business)”
(I) General passenger passenger car transportation business (general passenger car transportation business that carries passenger passengers by regularly operating cars with specified routes)
* Route bus (Including highway bus and regular sightseeing bus, however, excluding those that operate according to Article 21 and Article 80 exception rule). In addition, the former “limited passenger passenger car transportation business” was integrated into general business, licensing came to be undertaken with limited conditions among them.
(B) General charter passenger car transportation business (general passenger car transportation business other than passenger car transportation business of a and ha)
※ The charter bus (sightseeing bus).
※ (C) is a definition of taxi.
Article 3 (2) “Specified Passenger Car Transportation Business (Passenger Car Transportation Business Transporting Passengers of a Specified Range according to the Demand of Specific Persons)”
※ It is a specific transportation (within the airport, school, factory, etc., for transportation only to users of a specific facility (for a fee), a bus with a sales number attached). Fare is a notification system.
Meanwhile, in recent years, due to factors such as depopulation, the number of passengers has drastically decreased, buses are abolished, in the case local governments operate route buses as an alternative, an example where new buses are newly established in areas where traffic is inconvenient Can be seen. These are often due to the following provisions of the Road Transport Law.

Article 21 “General Chartered Express Passenger Car Transportation Operators shall not carry passengers on passengers except in the following cases: 1. In case of disasters or other urgent cases 2. General passenger passenger car transport companies In case it is difficult to do so, I received permission from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. ”
※ Under the permission of the exclusion provision of Article 21, it runs a charter bus as a route bus.
It is a so-called “charter alternative bus” and is also called “Article 21 bus” from the applicable law. For details, refer to the obsolete alternative bus.
Article 80 “Private vehicles shall not be used for transportation for a fee, provided that it is unavoidable to require emergency due to disasters or to secure public welfare, with permission of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism When that is the case, this is not the case. ”
※ Under the permission of the proviso of Article 80, it will run private cars as a bus route.
It is a so-called “self-operated bus” and is also called “Article 80 Bus” from the applicable law. For details, refer to the obsolete alternative bus.

After October 2006
In recent years, bus setting based on Article 21 and 80 in various places in Japan became frequent, and regulations were also looser than 4 permission (ordinary route bus) permission, so unfair occurred , It was decided to drastically review these. This revision took place in October 2006, and the definition changed.

Article 3.1 General Passenger Car Transportation Business (Passenger Car Transportation Business Other than Specified Passenger Car Transportation Business)
(I) General passenger passenger car transportation business (general passenger car transportation business carrying passenger passengers)
(B) General charter passenger car transportation business (general passenger car transportation business that carries passengers by renting cars exceeding the riding capacity specified by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tour by one contract)
(C) General passenger passenger car transportation business (general passenger car transportation business that carries passengers by renting cars less than the riding capacity specified by Ordinance of MLIT by one contract)
Article 3, paragraph 2 Specified Passenger Car Transportation Business (Passenger Car Transportation Business Transporting Passengers of a Specified Range according to the Demand of Specific Persons)
Article 21 General charter passenger car transportation business operator and general passenger car transportation business operator may carry passenger of passengers only in the following cases.
In the case of a disaster other when urgent is required.
(2) In cases where it is difficult for a general passenger passenger car transport operator to do so, due to temporary demand, it is subject to permission from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to limit the area and period.
Article 78 Except for the following cases, private vehicles (meaning vehicles other than automobiles for business use, the same shall apply hereinafter) shall not be used for transportation for a fee.
Section 1 When an emergency is required due to a disaster.
2 specific municipalities (including special wards, hereinafter the same in this item), specified nonprofit corporation prescribed in Article 2, paragraph 2 of the Specified Nonprofit Act (Act No. 7 of 1998) Other Ordinance of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism When a person specifying carries out the carriage of the residents within the area of one municipality or other carriage of passengers specified by an Ordinance of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (hereinafter referred to as “private use redeemed passenger transportation”) pursuant to the provisions of the following Article.
(3) In cases where it is inevitable for securing the welfare of the public, it is subject to permission of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and is provided for transportation by limiting the area or period.
Article 79 A person who intends to carry out paid freight forwarding shall have registration received by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
In other words, the old 21 bus will be abolished in principle, and it will be integrated into all four articles (note that temporary alternate transportation and verification tests within one year will be applied according to the previous Article 21), and it is ambiguous Regarding the Article 80 bus that was there, it was decided to carry out detailed provision under Article 79.