The New York herald., 1921-09-15
$45,OO0,OO0 A YEAR
PAIDFOR TRANSFERS,
EXPERTS ESTIMATE
Additional Payments Made
by 1850, 900 Passengers
Every Day.
NOT OFFICIAL FIGURES
Brooklyn Chief Sufferer
Through Abolition of Free
Transfers.
HYLAN'S CLAIM DISPUTED
Thousands Are Paying Seven,
Ten, Fifteen and Twenty
Cents for Rides.
HYLAN'S CLAIM DISPUTED


The elimination of free transfer
points, as a result of the disintegra-
tion Of transit systems since the
majority Of New Yorks lines went
into the hands of receivers, has pro-
ceeded to such an extreme that to-
day one-fifth of all the riders Of the
transit lines, or approximately 1885,
COO a day, are compelled to pay an
additional fare to reach their desti-
nations. The foregoing figure is an
estimate given yesterday to THE
New YORK HERALD by transit expert
who has studied the elimination of
free transfer points ever since the
receivers first originated the policy
Of increasing their revenue and get
ting rid of weak links in their transit
systems.
This is the first revelation OF the
real condition as to fares lying be-
hind the political boast of the Hylan
administration that the Mayor has
prevented an increase in fares In
dications are that. in the face Of the
Hylan boast, the transit companies
are taking from the pockets OF the
PEOPLE through the medium of addi-
tional fares of identical hauls total
o. approximately s45,O0O,000 year
more than the passengers were pay
ing for the same rides when John F..
Hylan became Mayor Of New York.
Free Transfers All hut Gone.
| Records In the Offices OF the Transit
Commission show that of the nearly
$500 free transfer points existing
en- the transit lines Of the greater
city at the time the transit receiver.
ships began there remain to-day only
about $50 points at which a car
rider may change from one line to
another without paying an additional
fare. How much that additional
fare will be depends upon where the
times he finds It necessary to change
to reach the destination he formerly
reached on a single cents fare.
He will have to pay, however, any
where from to 20 cents.
II he changes only once and is lucky
enough TO hit 2-cent transfer point.
he will get his former 5-cent ride for Z
cents. But the chances are Just as
good that he will have to change at a
point where no transfers are issued at
all any more and have to pay 10 cents
to reach his destination. If he hap
pens to be travelling from Jamaica
down to the Williamsburg section over
the old Metropolitan avenue line
which is one Of many Brooklyn ex-
amples OF the same conditions-he will
have to pay Is cents where he used to
get by on a nickel.
Or, again, II he should be over in
the upper West Side of Manhattan and
travelled down town via st. Nicholas
avenue. Fifty-ninth street. Lexington
or Madison avenue and thence across
town on Fourteenth street-a trip for
merly possible for 5 cents-he would
now pay 20 cents.
The effect of the elimination OF
transfer points upon the travelling
public and upon the revenues of thu
companies is regarded as one OF the
most difficult elements OF the city's
transit situation to determine. for the
reason that upon the cessation Of the
issuance OF transfers a definite check
upon the movements of passengers
from one line to another vanishes. 1t
becomes impossible then to determine,
except by broad estimate. whether
the same traffic Is moving between the
same lines and paying the additional
fare. or what portion Of Il may have
turned to less convenient routes TO
avoid the additional charge.
rr.ct os New Lines Elusive.
The opening OF additional rapid tran
sit lines since the abolisnment OF trans
fer points. increasing the serving radius
OF those lines, Is another extremely
elusive element, since the vast majority
OF eliminated transfer points have been
between surface lines rather than be-
tween surface and rapid transit lines.
| Officials OF the transit companies
said that they had made no effort TO
analyze the situation whatever, for the
reason that the only way they believed
an accurate estimate could be arrived
at would be by personal check,
through conductors or great number
OF investigators upon virtually every
person who got on or off car az
former free transfer point. Such infor-
nation. once obtained. II was pointed
out would be OF no especial benefit to
the companies.
An official OF one OF the two main
transit systems, who desired his name
not to be used. when told OF the esti-
mate here presented said:
AN estimate OF 20 per cent. may or
may not be correct. for the reaSon.
believe. that any estimate OF the trans
for pHuatfon cnnuot he bettrr than "A