The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-09
'J|ThEY APPEARS TO Be
IN BUSINESS TO stick
Ease with Which One May Enter
Transportation Field Response
bic For Rapid Development.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA. BIRTHPLACE
idea Later Went to Pacific Coast and
II Has Since Been Brought Through
The Country to the E;ast-Jitneys
Are F7ourishtng.

After several months oil experience
1t may be concluded that the jitney
bus as a factor in urban and inter
urban transportation has come to stay
says the Manufacturers' Record. Not
that all such vehicles now operating
will continue in business; some OF
them will be eliminated by the force
of natural economic laws, but many
others will remain. The compare
tive ease with which any one car
enter the jitney field has induced
many persons to go into the bust
ness of carrying passengers about
town SO that there must follow a
process of elimination which will
doubtless resait in the survival OF
the fittest-maybe the strongest,
financially--until the new form OF
enterprise has gotten down to a sys-
tenn Of operating which can be re-
lied upon as profitable, But that
jitneys win persist appears certain
to any observer who has investigated
and realized that they perform a SER
vice OF advantage, not wholly In COM
petition with street railways, but In
addition to them and probably In
many instances bringing them busi-
ness which they have never thought
OF going after by the use of similar
means.
Phoenix. pAriz.. is credited with be-
ing the birthplace of the titney idea
in 1918, when a strike on the street
railway occurred. 1t next appeared
at Long Beach, near Los Angeles,
Cal, and then in that city itself in
October. 1914. since which time II
has spread practically all over the
United States In most cities and
towns the jitneys continue to be run
without new laws governing street
traffic or licenses other than the
usual State licenses for all motor
vehicles. but that they will be regu-
lated by law sooner or later seems
most probable. In large cities they
have vastly increased the motor traf-
fic on certain important thorough
fares. and consequently there has
been a corresponding increase of dan
ger to pedestrians, as well as to riders.
The authorities realize these facts,
and will doubtless decide finally upon
methods of regulation that will In OPP
GRAFTON be satisfactory to the public
and Just to the jitney owners and
operators
street Railways Report Losses.
In several places street railways
are reported to have sustained con-
siderable losses in consequence OF
the jitney cOmpettiOn. MS may De
in large measure temporary, some
people using the buses because OF
their. novelty, but after while re-
turning to the use of the railways.
1t would seem that the opportunity
for such losses TO happen would be
more frequent in places where street
cars are operated upon rather long
Roadway" as the railway language
has ii. rather where one car follows
another after an interval of only four
or five minutes at the most. And
It is recognized that not few Fas-
sengers who might use the titneys
are being held by the street railway
companies because they are respon-
sibie operators who can be looked TO
for recompense in case of accident.
whereas, thus far. not many Jitney
men are so considered. Moreover. 1t
In futile for existing, local transporta-
ton companies to oppose the intro
duction OF jitney busses excepting
upon very strong and unassailable
grounds. and 1t is better for them not
to voice any opposition at all. AT the
most 1t might be demanded that the
jitney owners be required to operate
under the same laws that the street
cars are run, but there has arisen
doubt as 20 whether that would meet
public approval because. tho, hnssef
do not occupy any part of the street