Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-12
Says J|TNEY BUSINESS IS
RESULT OF UNEMPLOYMENT
Committee Of Street Railway Au.
thorities Declares Its Opera
ton Unsound.
ANALYZEs MoT.oF TRAFFIC
investigators Find That the Opera
ton of Jitney Bus Is UnprOfit-
able, Pointing to Constant Change
IN Personnel of Operators.

in Personnel of Operators.
IN n comprehensive analysis OF tho
Jitncy bus traffic as IL affects the street
railway business just completed by the
committee on operation of motor We
! htcies, OF the American Electric Rail-
| way Association, 1t reaches the con-
clusion that the jitney Is a product OF
unemployment and that it's operation Is
| economically unsound.
The report is of particular interest
In Richmond in view OF the hearing
Thursday night on the ordinance now
! pending before the Council Ordinance
Jitney bus traffic in this city by I'm
. posing license tax on each car and
| requiring each to execute an indemnity
! bond for the protection of passengers
who arc injured as the result of the
F.. negligence of the owner of the car or
! his chauffeur.
The analysis was prepared by a COM
mitee, consisting of Britton l. Budd.
( president of the Metropolitan West Side
Elevated Railways Company. Chicago;
! H. G. Bradlce, president Of the stone
n Webster Management Association,
/ Boston; William a. House, president
or the United Railways and Electric
ley. vtce-president of the American
Railways Company. Philadelphia.
MEN WITHOUT WORK
RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAFFIC.
After going at length into the short
history of the jitncy bus traffic, and
anaiyzins the Items of expense that
enter into jitney bus operation, the
| committee concludes:
me 1itney Is product OF unem-
pioSment and has sprung into existence
primarily because the owner or lessee
| being out OF work. Is for the time being
content with such income as arises from
the small difference between the fares
collected and the cost of gasoline. tires
, and minor repairs.
The committees Investigations have
| peen such as to convince 1t that the
operation of the jitney is not profitable
! to It's operators. This Is shown con-
I clusiVely by the constant change in the
! personnel of the operators OF these
! machines in the cities where the iitncy
mas neen established. The experience
J III all of these places is that few men
stay in the business longer than a
month or two, and the conclusion ia
inevitable that such owners find tn,
business Improbable, but that their
PAGES are supplied by others, who are
ied 10 take up the work because of the
advertising that has been given To tho
| Ji'ncy proposition and to certain ex-
tent because of the representation ~
automobile dealers anxious to secure a
| market FOR their second hand cars
IN the meantime however, il must
/ De borne in mind by those comruni
.itS when are encouraging jitney oper-
atioh that the revenue received by their
| ~ oprictors Is taken from the revenue
OF the electric railways, and that ha
! cause the ability of these railways Ia
iurnish adequate service depends en-
. tircIy upon the moneys received in
| '"ics, S"ch ammunition in income less
ems the ability of the companies to
tunnish me service demanded.
No!'i"iuhitles are apt TO forget the
oenehts which are received from street
| railway operation, and which ,ro not
! received from jitney bus operation. In
ciuucu III these are the payment of a
| 'e, large amount In taxes and in other
! pnoNc charges. extensive contributions
towards the cost OF paving, the main
! tenance of Improbable lines necessary
! W CIVIC development the mainte-
nance of fixed routes and fyed scha
uuies ana service uninterruDte ed so Par
as possible by weather conditions tho
| investment of Il large sum of r,opa,, In
nc eduipment necessary to take care
Oh me deman during the time of ex-
| 'raoraihary travel, the provision of
| comfortable and safe cars, properIy
lghted and suited to the VARYING con.
| unions OF the seasons, the systen, ne
transfers. whereby the revenues Of tho
! company are largely reduced in ord
't.at transportation may be furnished to
az parts OIL the city. its financial re-
/ sponSibility for the damages resp,tino O,
! from the accidents, it's subrnission 70
thc control of the regulatory bodies
, rs 10 capitalization, rates and seryico
! ana. above all, that a very heavy nor.
centage OF its income is returned ~
me community, in the shape OF taxes
pupl,t charges. wages payment for
n
! COMMUNITIES MUST
DECIDE UPON REGULATION
"Contrasted with the benefits tn ha
derived from the operation Of iitnovs
your committee believes that tn. ad ,
vantage TO the community is all with
me electric railways, and thai II is
therefore, for the communities to de-
eide whether, in their own interest
'he Ji'neS' heing common carrier
ana seeking the privileges granted to
common carriers should not be Obliged
to assume the obligations of n com
mon carrier
I'm other words, II is for these com.
munities 10 say whether as a matter
OF protection to the public, the jitney
shonid not be compelled to operate
over liked routes and upon fixed sche
dulles. whether il should be placed
under the jurisdiction of such reru
intorS bodies as exercise jurisdiction
over railways, should contribute in
taxes for general city purposes and for
paving purposes sum proportionate
10 mat contributed By the railways.
should be held TO strict accountability
for accidents. should be required to es
taoilsh its responsibility for damages
arising from such accidents, should be
compelled TO provide for the safety of
IT'S passengers, and should maintain the
same standard of service Nrcquircd of
electric railways.
Every obligation placed upon the
electric railway has been so placed by
the representatives Of the people in
the interest OF the people.
II is now for the people. for whom
THIS elaborate system OF safeguards has
D"en put into effect, to say whether an
untricd and evidently inefficient expe-