Evening star., 1922-10-15
World Adopts Public Motor Car

The appearance Of motor busses in
Washington and other important
cities throughout this country. follow
ing quickly upon the popularization
OF taxicab service to supplement the
street railways as public conveyances.
Is an at-home demonstration of what
is going on all over the world. Public
motor transportation has become
world wide in scope, according to
Gordon Lee, chief of the automotive
division Of the bureau of foreign and
domestic commerce, after an exten-
sive survey and a study Of reports
from all corners OF the globe.
The investigation just completed by
this new division of Secretary
Hoovers reorganixed and specialized
trade studying agency emphasizes
that the developing demand for such
veM cles Is vitality important outlet
for automotive products and that re-
placements Just as much as extension
Of motor bus service guarantee steady
foreign market.
The widespread scope and possibil-
titles Of this branch OF the automotive
market have been generally underesti-
mated and underrated thus far. Mt
Lee emphasizes. This has been due
partly to the fact that 1t has been
considered in the light OF the attend
ant demands for accessories such at
fare registers, whereas the replace
ment field should be looked to- as
guaranteeing perennial orders for
new equipment to replace that worn
out by daily use OF motor busaes and
taxfcabs, constant exposure to the
weather and the wear and tear OF
street traffic. Being of recent devel-
opment, the motor bus and taxicat
business has not shown the replace
ment possibilities that will present
themselves in a very few years as the
original equipment will have to be
discarded.
Not only from countries with q
highly developed transportation sys-
tenn, such as England. but from rela-
lively unpopulated and undeveloped
areas such as the near east and those
even where the present-day trend to.
ward every speedier transportation
has not yet been felt come reports to
the Hoover Investigators showing the
Worldwide spread and growth Of au'
tomotive transportation.
That autobusses are competing with
trolley cars in Geneva is reported by
Consul Lewis w. Haskall. He points
out that Geneva is the nrst Swiss city
TO carry out extensive plans for adop-
ticn Of the motor bus. Consul Has.
kali calls attention that the operation
Of the first three lines IL not 90 much
In response to needs for more ex.
tensive transportation facilities as 8
venture in underselilng the tram
lines, fifteen Of which constitute the
present system. This new project
fa reports, Is launched in spite OF
the fact that the Geneva tramways
closed the fiscal year 1921 with a
heavy operating loss
How the motor busses are suppressed.
ing taxicabs In Alden (Arabia) is re-
ported by Consul Raymond. Davis
The conversion of . tsxicabs into
busses is an unusual development as
the result OF . recent ruling com.
pelling taxicab drivers to assemble
their cars in certain prescribed tax
stations, there to wait for passen.
; gers, and to leave in order of pri.
ority, instead Of running up and down
the streets soliciting business, al
for taxicab drivers, automobile buses
have been following a more or less
fixed schedule and route, to which, the
ruling does not apply. These bnsset
carry three to four times az MANY
passengers at about one.hRlf the rAtl
Of the taxie and are very popular
since most OF thA natives in Adel