Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-10
JTTNEY BUS INVADES
CITY; FUTURE BRIGHT
Pioneer Pilot Realizes Eight
Dollars First Day - "Mr.
Common People" Delighted.

Day before yesterday Philadelphia was
a normal American city Of the first class,
pursuing uninterruptedly the even tenor
of its way. Today 1t is rocked and
shaken by discussion that, creeping
upon It like a thief in the night, bids fair
to grow into proportions the end Of
which no man Is bold enough TO foretell.
All this over the why. the how the
when and the where OF the jitney bus.
II is the cause OF an opinion handed
down by city Solicitor Ryan; 1t is the
subject Of legislation introduced before
the powers that be at Harrisburg; it has
been mentioned as the solution OF all the
citv's transit troubles; II Is being dis
cussed i'm the home, on the street and in
the office, and, finally, It has the taxicab
interests trembling in their shoes and the
y n n living low i'm apprehensive silence
PLANS TO OPERATE 10 CARS.
And in the meantime n. w. Hambright.
POPS Norris street. the pioneer jitney Jockey
in Philadelphia, Is pllotlng ms uirllnutVe
bus ,Inlnterruptediy up Broad street to
Diamond and back to City Hall and
nocketinE at the close of the day neat
little profit OF IS or more If his plans
70 right 10 more Of the ''Blockley linn
o,Isines'' no has bought will be put in
operation as soorAas they arrive in Phila-
delphia.
The main argument now seems to be
over the legality Of the buses. BY some
II Ia pointed out that the franchises of
the P. r. T. permit the company the eX-
elusive right to operate over specified
routes TO offset this contention are the
buses, which operate over
definite routes, have no franchise and
pay no additional license other than the
CtaN f,tsa nc n nj
driven vehicle.
Further than this, the automobile law
passed in 1911 distinctly states that no ad-
1itional tax can be imposed on a motor !
driven vehicle other than the fee re-
1uircd for the State license.
The state Legislature is preparing n |
rocky road for the jitney bus to travel in |
Under the provisions of
bill introduced in the Senate today by |
Senator Edward w. Patton, of Phila- |
lelpha, every jitney bus that might |
operate in any city in the State would |
oe licensed and under the supervision OF |
he city authorities.
The bill gives the Philadelphia City |
Councils and the City Councils and
in cities of the second and |
bird class authority TO license all buses
hat operate on the city streets. 1t also
.ives the city authorities the right to
evoke the licenses whenever they de-
ire.
The measure was drafted before tho
lrst jitney bus in Pennsylvania APP
eared on the streets of this city last
1T hits the automobile lines
hat have been proposed to relieve the
ransit situation here.
Senator Patton today said that he has
ad the bill in mind for long time, but
hat the appearance OF the first jitney
us caused him to introduce the measure
t once
There will soon be several hundred of
hese buses operating in the cities of the
tute," he continued. Buses Of any
ort should not be permitted to run
round the streets without some sort of
equation by the city authorities"
The difficulty is that nobody is quite
ear along just what lines the iitney
usiness will develop in Philadelphia.
ihile It is most profitable and convenient
operate the cars over a given route,
any of the little carriers in Western
ties follow no definite line of travel,
ut scoot about hther and thither pick
& up passengers where they can and un-
aiding at any destination desired
II would be possible, perhaps, TO regu-
tie under the present laws those jtneys
lat operate over a stipulated route; but
restrict or license, especially the 60
-they-please variety, the state au-
mobile law would have to be amended
a rev one passed, according to numer- ,
is legal authorities.
In some form or other 1t seems likely,
,wever, that the jitney bus will become
institution in Philadelphia. 1t appeals
rongIy to the man in the street and
ose who with limited pocketbooks still
n enjoy and utilize advantageously
lick transportation.