The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-10-13
NOW
TRAINING
Teaching Automobile
Drivers.
PLANS Of THE COMPANY
Expert Driver Searles Looking After
the Education Of the
Tyros.

Is preparing to get its operating corps
in readiness for the autos when they
arrive from the Coast. Manager L. T.
Grant is looking for desirable men,
who are sober careful and possessed
Of headpieces that do not get excited
over such trifies as street JAM close
shaves and narrow escapes from acct
dents.
Manager Grant proposes to put on
thirty such men and Is receiving many
applicants for the positions of drivers.
Out OF these applicants thirty will be
selected and put in charge of Fred
Searles, an expert driver who was
brought down from the Coast to train
the inexperienced men in the manifold
duties winch are required on the seat
OF an auto. MIR. Searies has alreaoy
Initiated the drivers for several auto
stations in the States, and fully under
STANDS his work.
independence Park has been placed
at the disposal of the company as a
training field and storage place Tor the
vehicles while the power and stable
building is being constructed. From
this point Mr.. Searles will take the
green drivers and put them through a
course of electrical education and in
duct them into the mysteries of the
controlling levers, steering gear and
the many other little levers and rods
which cause the vehicle to start, move
and stop.
Manager Grant believes that the
Beach road will be utilized to great
extent in training the men. It is not
much used at present, and presents
just such a surface as would be re-
quired in training inexperienced men.
1t Is a smooth roadway and has few
obstacles. Mr.. Searles will take three
or four of the brightest men of the
thirty in order that they may act as
assistants to himself and help in the
training of the others. First they will
be told the uses of the levers. The start
and stop will be the first principles to
be learned When they understand
these, the turning Of corners viii be
next in order. Then lodging ordinary
obstacles such as are usually met on a
highway.
The French system of training will
not be followed This consists of plac-
ing figures representing pedestrians,
policemen, nurses with baby carriages,
dogs, and a myriad of other features
which are supposed to block up the
passage of the street. This system was
tried in one city on the Mainland and
proved unsuccessful. In Honolulu the
men Will be put upon the streets as
soon as they understand how to oper-
ate the machinery. They will be given
practical tests.
Should a man show signs of nervous
ness or lightheadedness his services will
De dispensed with before he is given
license as an auto driver.
The schedule of rates has been fixed
upon by the board of directors, but will
not be made public until the automo-
plies are ready to be sent out upon the
streets. The rates are understood
however. to be practically the same as
the horse hacks.
One feature will be added which Is in
force in other cities. The passenger
viii receive a rebate check from tbe
driver when he pays cash for his ride
The rebate is 10 per cent If a passen-
ger pays 20 cents for his fare he re-
celVeS rebate check emitting him IN
~ cents when presented at the COM
pany's office. These are good for pre-
sentation for ninety days. A dollar in
cash PAID to the driver would entitle
MIN to 10 cents rebate. In the course
of month a person using the autos
frequently would have enough rebate
money coming to him to make it worth
mrs while to ride in the autos.
In the hack vii! be placed in a neat
frame map of the city showing in
colored inks the legal limits
or DIVISIONS that govern certain rates
OF fare. Below it in another frame
VIII be the schedule of rates, so that in
case OF an argument, both passenger
ana driver will have the evidence at
hand TO settle their dispute
manager Grant intends to adopt a
mover system of letting the public know
When a hack is engaged or not. In
NeXico ne ascertained that the auto
mobile companies had the drivers plac,
a nttle Nag of any color on the seat
beside them when the vehicle was MOI
engaged When engaged the flag is
drawn in %
NO mack stands are to be maintained
ne vehicles Will remain in the stable.
anu VIII only be sent out upon n cali
TOT tnem. Each auto will be charge
Win the full mileage power when sent
OUT from the stable. Manager Grant
uoeS not intend to take any chances
% ms Nehlcles coming TO a standstill
on the outskirts. and requiring to he
so"Su IN: The changing machinery ig
-. ehS CITY, ana as soon as a roof is
over the power building it will be Mac
ed in position. A hack is run mo, a.,
PLATFORM, the old battery removed and
new one substituted in less than fiva
minutes If hack has been sent on,
On long journey and passes near tho
power mouse 1t is only a matter of q
Ie" minutes to re-charge the ante a,d
senu IL out afresh. The power bo1Ise
anu STAPLE are expected to be cornnlat-
ca WITHIN SIX weeks and ready for bIsi-
hess- several private autos have baan
orusred and will probably be stabbed
WITH the company at all times
several OF the autos We're expected n,
me Moana yesterday, but failed to ar
rive. twenty of them are now af,oat
go. the manager, and are expected