Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-17
JITNEYS CAUSE BIG
LOSS TO p. r. T.

Continued from Page One
short rides. The jitneys, however, he
said, are taking over these short rides,
and leaving the P. r. T. with only the
Improbable long rides.
Edward T. stotesbury chairman of the
Executive Board of the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit, said that he did not reor-
ganize the transit company for profit.
II became interested in the Phladel-
phta Rapid Transit Company not to
make any money, but merely for the
benefit of the citizens of Philadelphia"
he told the members of the committee
THE present management Is doing its
best, and is anxious to purchase new
equipment but with the competition
with jItneys the problem is extremely
difficult, We wish at least competition
on a fair basis.'
The company, in its statement, said
that the Philadelphia Rapid Transit prop
erty Is assessed at S164,O23,727. "Out of
gross receipts" the statement ntlnues,
"of $24,255,S13 it last year paid taxes to
city, State and nation of 81, S1,e03662.O8, o.
more than 7l5 per cent. of it's gross re-
ceipts. 1t carries every day re than
100000 passengers, and rays out every
year in wages to its 10,750 employees, more
than $S50O,0O0.
This property is now seriously threat
ened by form of competition which
represents no capital, pays no wages,
owes no duties to the public, but which
carries on a catch-as-catch-can business
in fair weather, taking from the transit
company which must at all times bear
the burden of the transportation problem.
that portion of the business in which
there is profit, namely. the short rider"
The company asked that the zone sys-
tenn for jitneys be abolished and that a
nat rate Of fare be established; that the
jitneys be forced to operate in bad
weather; that the jitney owners and driv-
ers be made as liable for damages as the
T. r. I. Company is, and that the jitneys
be taxed in the same proportion as the
transit company says 1t is.
The company appended TO its statement
a list of fees and the amount of bonds
charged jitneys in other cities.
Representatives of the motormen and
conductors told the committee that they
fear reduction in wages II the jitney
traffic continues 10 so seriously curtail
the revenues of the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit.
Thomas T. Mitten. president of the
Philadelphia Rapid Transit, said that the
loss TO the company is through the lit
neys taking over the short runs Robert
Costello, head of the Jitney Association,
called the jitney the poor mans con-
veyance," THE Jitney Association is
doing everything to regulate them" he
salu ana we are Wiling TO be taxed to
a fair extent"
The ordinance upon which the hearing
was held was drafted in the Subcom-
mittee on Law and reported, together
with an almost identical ordinance reg.
ulating taxicabs, to the general COM
mittee this afternoon. The taxicab men
appeared before the subcommittee later
and urged an increase in fares.
The committee took no action on either
bill
The license fee for each vehicle is
placed al s25 year, and liability bond
OF $500 Is required for each vehicle The |
fines for violation of rules and reElla-
tions governing this trafic are placed
at from IS to $3.50 for the nrst offense,
from $3.50 TO s25 for the second offenss
and from $3.50 to $50 for subsequent Of
fenses. The Director OF the Department
OF Public Safety is granted the power
to make all rules and regulations govern
Ing jitneys and taXieabs. Jitneys will |
be permitted TO operate over any routes.
without designating them.
The schedule Of ta4ieab fares is as fol- |
lows For from one 10 four passengers,
90 cents for the irst mile or fraction OF |
a mile and 10 cents for each additional |
quarter OF mile; charge OF 20 cents Is /
allowed Tor each additional passenger |
over four, and an additional charge OF 20 /
cents Is allowed for packages carried on /
the outside of the machine. Five-passen- 4
ger touring cars are prohibited from /
charging more than $3.50 for the first hour /
and IS for each additional hour Seven /
passenger touring cars cannot charge /
more than $3.50 for the fFst hour ana |
81 for each additional hour.
Two weeks ago jitney ordinance, pro |
Yiding for license fees bonds ana anss /
for violation Of regulations that were .
twice the amount OF those provided for I
IN the ordinances reported TODAY. was .
sent 10 the subcommittee A taxleab |
ordinance, which did not provide for 4 1
schedule OF fares. was introduced In
Councils, but was apparently forgotten.