The Washington times., 1922-01-21
line
|sEXPER|ENC|NG.
.AMAZINGGR0WIH.
Evolution Of Pioneer Bus Service
to Modern Carrier System
Remarkable Achievement.

What the Tidewater Lines. Inc. OF
Maryland has accomplished today indi-
Gates what other motor freight and
passenger haulage lines, with the
same vision and, organizing ability and
the same willingness to serve the pub
lie. can accomplish throughout the
country in the days to come. writes
r. Eugene Spooner in the Commercial
Vehicle. 49,.
The Tidewater Lines. Inc. Is
natural development In. the evolution
OF the transportation of the United
States. The railroads In most In
stances have found that the short
haul business is not a money maker,
and as result, the shipper has suffer
ed through Inadequate service. That
Ia the case, even where the railroads
are available. But railroads are not
flexible and they have served and
can serve only limited territory. In
other territories potential shippers
have had no, service at all, good or
a.. -
Motor bus and freight haulage com.
panies have stepped into the gap left
by the railroads. And the Tidewater
Lines In the highest development OF
this new service For instead OF a
casual service, operated on shoe
string. II II giving the inhabitants Of
q very large district q service for
both freight and passengers as accu-
rate. as reliable. as well organized and
as efficient as any railroad.
How the Lines Grew.
About ten years ago the State Of
Maryland entered upon vigorous
road building program.
Before these roads were improved
the only means Of transportation avail
able was q single short line railroad
Some OF the river and bay points
were served by steamboats,. 80:
About nine years ago the Semmes
bus line was established, between
Washington and various points In
southern Maryland with the idea Of
furnishing this territory with quick
and easy passenger and freight trans
portation to Washington. This ser
vice was continued until q year ago,
when the company was reorganized
water Lines, Inc.
The development of the Tidewater
Lines has been really remarkable.
This company serves a large expanse
OF country. operating at this time Of
the year about 1000 miles Of passen-
ger service per day and about $500
miles Of freight service. Users Of this
service can now make the trip that
on the New York markets within
In three hours. -
Fish. oysters, livestock and produce
from the lower Potomac may be placed
on the New York markets within
twelve hours. ~ ~ ~. =.
About thirty.five vehicles are used
ha fra ~ N.el -
and freight. The motor buses have
capacities Of sixteen, twenty-four and
thirty passengers. All of the buses
and trucks are equipped with pneu-
matte tires and travel at speeds rang.
ing from twenty-five to thirty miles
an hour.
Complete Confidence Won.
A transportation business carried on
with this thoroughness In bound to
win approval and complete confidence
OF it's users. And this Is Just what
has happened down In southern Mary.
land. That section Of the State il
now In close contact with the prin.
cipal markets In this part OF the coun-
try. The people have kept pace with
the demands for their products and
have In turn benefited by the intro.
auction OF modern farm implements.
etc. Speedy transportation service has
opened their eyes to the Introduction
Of new industries. 1t has led to stock
raising.
Land values down m southern
Maryland since the inception of truck
transportation have increased ire
mendously. According to reports of
the United States census, taxable val.
uation Of farm lands In a number of
the counties are LAG per cent higher
than ten years age These are the
largest increases in the State.
Ten years ago II would have been
possible to buy thousands Of acres of
good land In these counties FOR from
$40 to SIS an acre. Today these same
lands cannot be bought for less than
500 to $3.50 per acre. It NAV be said
without fear Of contradiction that
these increases in values are due al
most entirely to good roads and better
means OF transportation.
Without Competition. - :
The Tidewater Lines operate with.
out any appreciable competition fran
to examine It by the time they read