The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-27
Legislature May Regulate the
Motor Transport Lines in State.
To Control Use of Hard Surface
Highways of Kansas.
RESULT OF COLORADO ACTION
Recent Decision Causes Much
Commercially Be Adopted.
Passenger Bus Owners Sought
Permission to Operate Line.

! Recent action by the Colorado pub
lie utilities commission in refusing to
grant a certificate OF convenience to
a motor bus company which proposed
10 compete with rail service during
the tourist months, has in the last sew
| eraI weeks aroused considerable COM
ment regarding possible action by the
next Kansas legislature 1t is not at
| AL improbable that the next legisla-
ture will take steps to put the motor
TRANSPORT lines under the state COM
mission and to regulate and control
use of hard surface highways for
commercial purposes.
In a number of counties in kansas
the paved roads parallel steam INES
A big share of the expense OF hlgh-
nav construction was paid by the
railroads. After paying the bill they
r1eet the free and liberal competition
of independent truck and pleasure
car owners who haul Tor hlre- nov
there is likely to be a demand on the
1929 legislature for law which Will
not only regulate this traffic, but VIII
compel private corporations ana m
dividuals to meet requirements similar
to those imposed on pubic uuIltles
and common carriers
Causes Much Comment
Tho Colorado decision is at least
causing a. lot of comment in Kansas
and it is likely that the Colorado law
DIacfnr the independent carriers un-
der the state commission may be
adoDted in Kansas. In the Colorado
case a passenger bus owner sought
permission to operate in competition
with steam hauls between Glenwood
Springs and Wolcott in competition
with the Denver & Rio Grande rail-
road. In deciding the case the Colo
RADIO commission said in part:
TT was brought out at this hearing
that the petitioner intended to limit
the operation of his auto buses TO
only four months in the year; namely
June. July. August and September,
when he could operate at the mini
mum of expense and maximum of
Is a Necessity.
This service is claimed to be not
only a convenience but necessity as
we'll Obviously when roads are
muddy in spring and fall and also
when deep SHOWS have to be con-
tended with by the travelling pubic IN
winter it is at these times, II ever,
when passenger conveyanceS become
not only a convenience but an absolute
necessity as well. Right at this time
is when this applicant proposes TO
cease to function as common car
rier, which leads this commission to I
the con lusion that this certificate Is
sought [ so much to meet the con-
venience and necessities of the trav-
cling public as it is for private gam.
This hearing brought out the fact
that this railroad company actually
loses money on its thru travel, while
the profitable haul comes from its
local passenger travel. Even at this, |
The fare by rail from Wolcott to Glen |
wood Springs is only $2.22, while the
applicant proposes to charge $500, by !
auto bus. between the same points
Looking at all the facts in this !
ease, it would seem manifestly unfair |
for this commission to grant a cert1fl- |
cate TO this applicant that he may |
skim off the cream of the passenger |
traffic during the summer months |
md then leave the railroad to battle |
With the elements during the balance |
IF the year when railroad operations |
ire a heavier financial burden and /
passenger travel is exceedingly light
But leave the railroad entirely out !
IF the case and view it only from |
he standpoint of the farmer and city /
home owners. They pay very large
proportion of taxes assessed for high
Some of them own and operate auto
and some do not. If they do,
he damage to roads from the occa-
ional operation of their light, pneu-
matte tired cars is practically negn-
yible. They seldom use the roads un-
Ter weather conditions such that
heir use is destructive, while at GER
ain seasons the heavily loaded freight
IND passenger trucks plough back ana
orth making great burrows in the
Dads regardless both of conditions
md consequences. Under weather
conditions producing softened road
,eds. the passage Of a single heavily
oaded truck will do greater damage
o a highway than would the passage
II hundreds of ordinary cars The
armer and the city home owner pay
he bill and the 136. 1916 passenger car
'wners of the state are grievOusly
Public convenience and necessity,
" which must be understood the con-
-enience and necessity of the people
It large as contradistinguishe from
he convenience and necessity of
cry small number of persons who
eek to derive a profit from the farm
RS and home owners investment in
Dads, never contemplated that the
ruck driver should destroy that, to
he cost of construction of which he
ontributed little or nothing, ors that
lie should reap where he has not
own.
When the taxing laws of this state !
re SO amended that the truck driver
perating over state highway shah
ontribute his due proportion to the
Ost of construction and maintenance
Z our highways, then, and not until
hen, can this commission regard his
sc, under proper conditions and re-
trictions, of a great and tremendously 5
expensive public facility as of equal
ignity and equal benefit to the peo- 5
lie with the moderate use thereof by 5