New Britain herald., 1915-04-22
Effect and Drawbacks
 of Jitney Service

Whether or no the so-called Jitney service should be regulated further than is possible under the present laws of this state resolves itself to
 consideration of its effect upon,
 F1rst-The general public.
 Second--The employees of street rail- . way companies, and
 I Third--The matter of equity to the l street railway companies.
 l Referring to the first class, many l of the public without analyzing the i subject carefully. believe that so-called J1tney service promises a solution of the rush hour overcrowding of cars
 and that it's competition will exert B
 salutory effect upon street railway companies alleged short cornings. Un
 fortunately. a street railway company exercising it's best efforts and with
 the best intentions often appears to
 the public to be wilfully neglectful of its rights and comfort and therefore when questions of this or similar
 nature arise. they are oftentimes not
 considered without prejudice. If
 company's patronage falls of. if per force has not the financial ability to furnish the service it would have un- der more favorable conditions. Ger tain lines of almost every street rail- way company in each community are operated without profit and must look for their justification to the earnings
 of the system as a whole. reg uler headway is usually operated from early morning until late at night which
 + headway is not warranted by the pat
 ronage between. say 9 and 11:3o a.
 m. 2:30 and 500 D. m. and after
 s o'clock in the evening, during which
 periods of light riding cars are op-
 erated for the convenience of passen-
 gers and run with many vacant seats.
 In the past trolley companies have
 at the request of suburban commit
 mites extended their lines into thinly
 settled territory. Those extensions
 have made for the health of the com
 murities in allowing the man of small
 means to build on reasonable terms
 and have ohviated the necessity, to a
 large degree. of the use of tenements.
 These extensions have also made for
 the profit of merchants due to this
 means of easy and reasonable travel.
 Fare limits have been extended be
 yond profitable distances and their
 Justification has been the compensat-
 ing effect on the general result of the snort lduI pdSSeuSeT anu EusH nOuI
 riding. If this short haul riding is
 to be taken away, to a considerable
 degree, from the street railway com ranies. inevitably a reduction in ser
 vice must follow and contraction of fare limits must also result.
 It is probable that if trolley car service has to be withdrawn to a con siderable amount it will be impossible to furnish ext car service on holidays
 as well as on sporadic days upon which there are rain and snow storms. cars as 8 rule, furnish dependable service operated on a regular sch ed ule and with safety and comfort to it's passengers. Especially Is this true with regard to women and children Turth ermore. if the be an accident there is tangible property upon which l recovery can be made in a civil suit If the company is liable. The Connecti- | cut company has paid for damage claims during the last three fiscaI years, an average of s2S1,791.32 per annum. The service furnished by ihe so-called iitney is usually one which appeals to the operator of the same as likely to furnish the most revenue cars often being turned back short of the destination on their signs in order