Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-01-25

traffic.
several localities OF heaviest traffic
should appoint committees to act
with similar committees appointed
by the railroads to make a COM
prehensive and unbiased study of the
problem.
'Unregulated operation of common
carrier motors can only adversely az
feet the public right TO uninter-
rupted. dependable and efficient
transportation. 1t Is unfair also to
those agencies which are regulated
and to the existing motor carrier
operators themselves whose service
to the public cannot best ba main
tanned If II Is subjected to a constant.
wasteful attack from "fy-by-night"
and financially irresponsible opera
tors.
should BE Regulated.
Regulation of the common carrier
motor should be vested in a State
authority charged with the task OF
providing the public with the trans
portation which Il requires. 1t should
be so regulated as to secure the best
service to the public. To insure
continuity and reliability of service.
be shown also.
such State control over motor
vehicle common carriers should be
placed in existing commissions of tho
various States.
LAS a prerequisite to the operation
OF the motor vehicle common carrier,
the owner thereof should be obliged:
"'A-To receive certificate OF pub
lie convenience and necessity pro-
vided that lines in bonaide opera
ton on the first calendar day of the
legislative session at which the law
is passed shall be presumed to be
necessary to public convenience and
necessity, and such lines in the alb
sence Of evidence overcoming such
presumption. shall receive a certif-
cate for routes established by them.
"B-To take out liability insurance
adequate to indemnify injuries to per
sons or passengers OF damage TO prop
erty and cargo resulting from negli-
gent operation.
Legislation should be enacted en-
abling steam railroads. trolleys, shipping
companies and other public utilities to
acquire, own and operate motor vehicles
in conjunction with their regular lines
OF business.
Seek Uniform State statutes.
ut Is recommended that the public
authorities of the several New England
States charged with common carrier
regulation Join in the formulation OF
uniform State statutes for legislative
consideration In order to place these
motor carriers under reasonable con-
trol"
Mechanical Improvement OF the COM
merciaI motor vehicle continued to alb
sorb tho attention OF engineers during
the past year. Some of the leading de-
velopments in this field may be listed
as follows:
Efforts 70 obtain increased power for
acceleration and increased brake power
for deceleration.
Introduction Of mechanical devices TO
save time or expense. such as improved
trailers and semi-trailers, demountable
bodies, etc.
development Of ski wheeled vehicles
with a third axle, both In motor truck
and motor bus design.
Greater use OF pneumatic tires and
other shock absorbing devices on heavy
trucks.
New developments In low hung chas.
sis and other refinements Of the motor
coach as used for long distance, inter-
city travel.
Lack of Understanding Hampers.
Cne OF lne CrdWDdCRS IN Jne success
full operation OF the commercial motor
vehicle has been the apparent lack OF
understanding of how to keep cost rec
ords, to allow for depreciation and prop
erly undertake maintenance for the
truck. There has also been tendency
for the users of the passenger car, the
motor truck and the motor bus to act
separately with each other, which has
| IN many instances created public mis-
understanding Of legislative programs.
Largely TO help remedy these condi-
| lions, the American Automobile Asso-
citation, hitherto comprising membership
exclusively limited TO owners Of passen-
ger cars, has during the past year an
nounced a program for establishing
national motor truck and motor bus
| divisions, to be composed of State divt-
sions embracing for the most part exist
| ing State truck and bus organizations.
I'm this program, the American Auto
mobile Association has the backing Of
! the National Automobile Chamber Of
! Commerce. II Is q program which
should eventually unity owners Of motor
vehicles all over the country. who have
by far much more in common than many
| Of them have sometimes realized. The
expansion Of the American Automobile
Association is a progressive development
which should have a most helpful ef-
| feet for many years 10 come upon the
evolution Of motor transportation in the
| United States"