New-York tribune., 1921-11-17
Change in Work
Hours Urged to
End Jam
Expert Before Commission
Suggests Downtown EN-
ployers Alter Schedule to
Afford Relief i'm Subwavs
Expenses Swallow Income
Declares Car Lines Pay
6 Cents to Earn Nickel;
Overload Is 200 P. C..

AS an Immediate and temporary re.
lief for traffic congestion in rush hours
the Transit Commission has under
consideration a plan similar to that
in vogue during the influenza epidemic
of 1918, when emergency measures
to distribute the peak" of travel
This was disclosed yesterday at the
second hearing of the commission in
its investigation to find permanent
cure for the city's transportation ills
through uniication of the transit lines
1t was indicated that the commission
strongly favored the plan and that the
idea would be advocated in advance
of final solution of the traction
dilemma.
The present overload of the sub
ways during the peak of the rush
hours is said to be 290 per cent.
Facing s17,0OO,0Oo Deficit
Other important facts brought out at
the hearing yesterday were:
That there was left out of each
nickel received by the transit com
panies from passengers in the fiscal
year 1921 but four-tenths of one cent
after operating expenses and fixed
charges had been paid.
That if the roads had actually paid
the interest on their bonds, rentals anG
set up sinking funds, as required, ts.~
cost to them for transporting each pas
senger would have been 6.43 cents.
That the $10,000,000 contributed in
taxes by the city to the lnterborough
and Brooklyn subways amounted to one
cent per passenger, and that if this
sum had been spent for operation the
total cost per passenger to the Inter
borough in 1921 would have been 63e
cents and to the Brooklyn Rapid Tran
sit Company 7.45 cents.
That the deficit facing all the lines
which the commission seeks to over
come by economies planned in the con
soldation, amounts to approximately
$17,000,000.
That in the last three years the pas
senger had cost the companies more
than he paid.
Change in Office Hours Urged
The proposal for peak distributing
plan was broached by Daniel j. Turner
consulting engineer of the commission
in the course of his testimony con
cerning the condition of the principal
arteries of travel. Pointing out that
facilities had failed to keep pace with
traffic, which was increasing by 400C
passengers daily, Mr.. Turner said that
even if the city undertook reconstruct
a new trunk line subway Immediately
its effects would not be felt for five
years.
He said he believed one of the most
effective temporary means of immedi
ately meeting the traffic growth, in
anticipation of new facilities. would be
to spread the traffic peak. This could
be accomplished, he pointed out, il
civic bodies and employers would CO.
operate in devising a sliding plan in
opening and closing business in the
downtown sections.
The workward peak was from 1880
to 80 a. m. and the reverse peak from
5 to p. M, during which about II
per cent of the total twenty-four hour
traffic was carried, according to Mr.
Turner, who based his conclusions on
an analysis of traffic on the city-owned
subways, particularly the INTERIOR
ough. The maximum of the peak was
fifteen minutes, he said.
Mr.. Turner supported the plant OF
the strap-hanger when he showed
that, as against $4,000 passengers car
(Continusd on page seven)