Evening star., 1923-11-19
1O7 ELECTRIC LINES
ADD MOTOR BUSES
Railroads Are Also Using
More Trucks as AuxiIiarieS
to Regular Service.
BY j. e. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch ~ The Star.
NEW YORK. November 19.-The
Common carriers are commencing to
treat the motor transport as an ally
instead of an enemy.
Steam and electric roads have
reached the conclusion In many locali-
ties that the field of the motor truck
and bus is cooperative rather than
competitive. As a result they are de-
ve!oping truck and bus routes as part
of their own systems.
One hundred and seven electric rail-
ways have adopted motor busses or
tracklesS trolleys either as auXiliaries
or to supersede regular service, accord
ing to authentic reports to the writer
today. These roads are located in
thirty states.
Routes Cover 9I5 Miles.
Already the routes established cover
Sl5 miles. The mileage scheduled over
them total SAB miles a day. and the
average monthly number of passengers
handled has reached 597,461.
The routes extend from one-half mile
to 110 miles, and the minimum fares
range from. cents on the short hauls
TO 3i2 cents a mile for some of the
longer trips.
These bus lines. OF course, include
only those operated by electric rail-
ways Through their operation, the
roads have established a traffic which
feeds into rather than draws business
from the rail lines.
One of the first steps in establish
ing subsidiary truck service by cleo
trio traction freight lines has just
hppn 81 he
railway, which has such line in
effect between Jackson and Sturgis
Mich. Other routes are being plan
ned, with the idea of carrying the
trio cars and then transferring it to
the motor vehicles, thus reaching
about 800 towns not on the main
lines.
New Freight Methods.
Steam lines also have begun to
supplement their service by motor
freight and passenger facilities. This
move has come first in the terminal
areas of the larger cities and in short
haul transportation in the suburbs.
BY means of motor trucks some car
rierS now are eliminating switching
freight cars between local stations.
trap car or side-track deliveries of
less than car lots and Improbable
short-haul shipments in metropolitan
areas.
Realizing that the movement to
make efficient use of motor tranSpor-
tation is only in the primary stages.
It special committee Of the Chamber
OF Commerce OF the United States to-
day made a report TO President julius
II. Barnes urgently recomme nd!ng
that cooperation between motor
transportation and other carriers be
expanded.
More Motor Trucks Urged.
The report of this committee is the
more significant from the fact that
on it are represented steam and cleo
trio roads, automobile and truck man
ufacturers, motor Eauiage company
executives and shippers. With re-
gard to freight movements, the COM
mittee urged strongly that all short
IaI4ls should be made by motor trucks.
the report fixes the zone in which
4 = mo;os truck has the advantage
N n;oVI'ii, freight at from ten to
tWtI. l:vr miles. and the zone which
snoi,!d relOng TO the steam and cleo
tric "a itrs at distances from 30
TO 1T itif.S according to local cond!-
tiona. IN the intermediate zone each
form OF transportation has its ad-
vantageS. the committee says, ana
the shippers 81 ould be free to make
their choice