Evening star., 1916-10-02
Seven Square Feet for Stand
ing Passengers During
Rush Hours. ,
AT OTHER TIMES, 100 SEATS
FOR EIGHTY TRAVELLERS
Regulations Effective November /.
More Drastic Measures Promised If
Railways Do Not Cooperate.

The public utilities commits
sion today adopted standard for
street railway service in the Dis
trict of Columbia.
After several months consid-
Grafton of the subject, the COM
mission approved, practically
without change, the tentative
standard considered recently at a
public hearing. 1t will go into
effect November |.
This standard was opposed by the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company on the ground that it was
theoretical and impracticable. The
Capital Traction Company urged that
it be>tried out as an experiment be-
fore being finally adopted.
Requirements of Standard.
1t requires for non-rush hours the
provision OH Tie dNSid6S oAi Aoo SSs<sS
per eighty passengers carried during
a period of one hour; for rush hours
on the average of seven square feet OF
available standing floor area per pas
senger carried above the number for
which seats are furnished during a
period of one-half hour.
Non-rush traffic is defined as that ex-
isting from 9:15 am. to 3:45 pm; from
$50 pm. to 10:45 pm. on midweek
days, and from 9:15 am. to IL noon
and from $50 to 1915 pm. on Satur-
days.
ing from $50 am. to 9:15 am. on mid
week days and Saturdays and from
3:45 pm. to $50 pm. on midweek days.
Midweek days are defined as Monday
to Friday, inclusive, legal holidays ex-
cepted.
The railway companies, under the re-
quirements of the order adopted, will be
required to make such observations as
will keep them in touch with the de-
mands for service. The bureau Of transit
and equipment inspection of the COM
mission also will mako such observations
from time to time as may be advisable.
More Drastic Measures Possible.
In explaining Us reasons for adopting
a standard of service, the commission
states it feels there is necessity for a
measure Of street railway service and
for a standard to be applied thereto.
'It is believed states the order. that
the general principles herein embodied
are sound and that-their application will
be successful when the cooperation OF
the electric railways exists. But. on ac-
count of the complexity Of the problem.
yuhera aI,ch cn-ODara tf0p in Ia ckinp il ma y
be found necessary to revert to the less
flexible and more drastic form Of super
vision by prescribing headway.
''1n determining what standards
should be applied the commission has
refrained from changing materially
the service which is being furnished
on the average by the electric railways
in the District of Columbia. A close
relation naturally exists between the
service and the price ito be paid there
for. The valuations of the electric
railways will be completed in the near
future, at which time the commission
will be in a position to determine what
is fair and adequate service and what
are fair and reasonable rates therefor.
THE purpose of the present proceed
ings Is to set forth a means Of meas,
uring service, and, by that measure, I'd
standardize the service in the District
of Columbia Observations showed that
the service being furnished in the Dis
in furnishing a seat per passenger
during non-rush traffic and in furnish
ing seats and standing area during
rush traffic.
Results Of Investigation.
Studies made of many observations
showed that uncomfortable crowding
results ii less than three square feet
of standing area per standing passen-
ger are furnished: that this does not
vary materially with the type Of cars
in use in the District of Columbia; that
on account of the great variety OF
types Of cars operated. 1t is not prac-
ticable to express rush-traffic stand
ard in a number of seats per hundred
passengers, but such standard can
best be expressed in a number OF
square feet Of standing area per stand
ing passenger; that standard OF
service should be based on service
furnished on the average over a period
of time, such as half hour for rush
traffic and an hour for non-rush traffic
that, due to variation in the demand
for service and irregularity of head
way between cars under service condi-
tions in the District of Columbia, 1t is
seats than passengers on NE average
during an hour of non-rush traffic and
two-and -one-third times three square
feet of standing area per. standing
passenger on the average during a half
hour of rush traffic in order that the
number of cars with standing passen-
gers during non-rush traffic and the
number of cars carrying standing
passengers furnished with less than
three square feet of standing area will
be reduced to reasonably small num-
ber; that the resulting standards OF
100 seats per eighty passengers during
non-rush traffic and seven square feet
of standing area per standing passen-
ger during rush traffic are now prac-
tically complied with on the large ma
jority of lines in the District Of Co
lumbia during most of the day."
Sugar Shipments Held Up.