Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-22
PURCHASERSPLAN
"COST" BUS SERVICE
ANDL|NE CHANGES
Will Reorganize Routes to
Meet Needs Shown by
Recent Survey.
ASK STANDARD RETURN
ON ACTUAL EXPENSES
Expert Brought Here to Make In
tensive Study of Transporta-
tion Needs.
BY CHAS. p. SHAEFFER.


The present transportation routes Of
the Washington Rapid Transit Co,
will be modified and extended. as re-
quired by the transportation needs OF
the District. and operated on ''serv-
ice at cost" basis. by which the re-
turns, according 70 the company Will
be definitely understood, with all "eX-
cess being utilized for extensions OF
service or reduction in fares, +. W.
Doolittle. vice president of the North
American Co., which recently pur-
chase the bus route, declared this
morning.
First steps incident to putting the
routes on a service at cost basis
will be the establishment of prop
erty valuation by the Public Utilities
Commission on which the lines Will
be allowed return, understood un-
officially and automatically set by pre-
cedent at 71a per cent.
TO further the interest of maximum
service at minimum cost. the Norm
American Co. has engaged the serF-
ices of Alexander Shapiro. an expert
on motor bus transportation. who mas
been brought to Washington to make
a study of the Washington Rapid
Transit Co. 1t is felt that Mr.. Sha-
piros technical knowledge and wide
experience in bus operation Will prove
of great value in developing the bus
company here.
Experiences in Wisconsin.
Mr. Shapiro was for several years
transportation expert with the
American Electric Railway AsSocia-
ton. and for the last four years has
been engaged in the operation OF
busses for the Wisconsin Motor Bus
Lines a subsidiary of the North
American Co One of the largest fleets
OF passenger vehicles in the country
is operated by the Wisconsin route,
having over 900 miles of routes,
which cover the city of Milwaukee
and adjacent territory within radius
of 100 miles.
Mr.. Doolittle's statement follows;
The 1925 transportation survey mas
indicated the important part Which
bus transportation must play IN sup
plying adequate transportation faclh'
ties for the District of Columbia. The
need for such service is particularly
present IN the Capital City because OF
its extended park and boulevard sys-
TEN, which does not warrant the pres
ence of street railway tracks. 1t l.
the intention that the present trans
portation routes of the W aShlngton
Rapid Transit Co. be modified and en-
tended as required by the transporta-
ton needs of the District and as the
Public Utilities Commission may di-
rect. after a full determination that
public convenience and necessity re-
uuire it. II is hoped that in time
Washington will be provided with a
bus trans nSportation service which VIII
not only compare faTorably with any
city here or abroad, but will actually
lead the way in successful ada ptation
of this popular form of transportation.
- Service at Cost.
!, The company's Sixteenth street
line is paying very well, but this
should not be taken as an indication
of the profitableness of bus operation
under existing rates of fare, as ade-
ouate service to the community will
require transportation routes upon
which the same density of business
cannot be expected to develop. 1t is
intended that application will be made
to the commission to prescribe serv-
Ce-atCost. procedure, by which the re-
turns which the company Will be per-
mitted to earn will be definitely un-
, derstood. this plan to provide that
any excess earnings be utilized for eX-
, tensions of service or reduction in
fares. Such a plan would assure the
citizens of Washington the reason
ableness of charges for bus transpor
tation at all times and enable the
company to establish basis of credit
! which will permit it to expand its
operations.
metropolitan bus service is still in
an experimental stage. Much is re-
ol,ired to be done from the standpoint
of equipment and in the methods of
tI,a lyf,
credit is due to the previous ma mage
ment of the company for its pioneer
/ ing efforts along these lines. urder
! conditions of limited capital. We hope
! to bring into the Washington situa-
| ton the best technical help which
| the country affords to assure devel-
! opments along the most economical
and satisfactory lines. We have our
own ideas, based on the transportaticSa
! survey. as to the nature Gf present
and future developments. We expect
to present the results of our conciu-
! sions on this matter to the commits.
sion within the near future;