Evening star., 1926-10-25
CONTROL OF AUTO
CHARGES|SU URGED
Railroad Men Ask Federal
and State Fixing of
Motor Rates.

State and Federal regulations of
rates, fares and charges for their
huSSeS and motor trucks, We're urged
today by H. NJ. Adams, vice president
OF the Union Pacific Railroad, and
Herbert A. Taylor, general solicitor Of
the Erie Railroad at the opening SeS-
sion of a general hearing on motor
bus and truck transportation before
Commissioner Esch and Examiner
Flynn of the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
The hearing was held IN the audi
torilm of the Interior Department
and was confined exclusively to testi-
mOny OF representatives of steam rail-
roads and of members of public utili
ties commissions. Shippers IN and
near Washington and operators of
motor husSes in and into the District
Of Columbia will be heard later in the
proceedings as the hearing is eX.
pected 10 run for several days.
Methods Held Unfair.
Mr. Adam said the unrcgulated
motor vehicles with no fixed rates
and charges, operating where and
when it pleaseS without real regula-
ton, is unfair to the railroads and
should be regulated as to rates and
routes. lie did not advocate that
the railroads regulate trucks, but that
it be done by proper regulatory au-
thority. The Union Pacific vice presi-
dent said that the motor truck has
a definite place in the transportation
system, adding that one of the things
that makes it great is that 1t operates
wherever the public wants it. He
said he does not think that regulation
IL of
the motor truck, but that regula-
ton would be fair and would improve
the situation in so far as both the
railroads and the public are concerned.
IF regulation is good for the rail-
road. it is good for truck transporta-
ton" Mr.. Adams said, he added that
coordination of railroads and truck
TRANSPORTATION would result favorably
for shippers and rail carriers.
Mr.. TAYLOR said that the inter State
motor bus should be made subject to
Government regulation, as the bus
operating intra-State is already regu-
lated. He said the Erie railroad would
like to see motor busseS under the
same litigation to furnish adequate
and sufficient service that the rail-
road companies are under. He quoted
figures attempting to show the de-
between points in northern New Jer-
sey and New York City, declaring that
since the recent Supreme Court decl-
sion upholding the rights of motor bus
operators to operate in competition
with rail carriers, literal fleets" of
motor busses had sprung up in north
ern New Jersey. He was followed on
the stand by Leo. +. Conlon, senior
inspector of traffic of the New Jersey
Public Utilities Commission.
Opening the hearing, Commissioner
Esch said the entire proceeding. which
had been in progress since July, in
which testimony had been taken in
many Western and Central Western
States, is intended to give the commits
sion information on the motor bus and
motor truck situation, 50 it may be in
a position to recommend legislation.
Mr. F,sch said 391 witnesses had been
examined, 377 exhibits presented and
4,604 pages of testimony taken.
The Commercial Motor Vehicles
Owners Association plans to make a
demand that the motor truck industry
he permitted to regulate itself. accord
ing to a decision reached by the asso-
citation recently. The hearings will con-
tinue this afternoon and tomorrow.