Putnam patriot., 1926-03-19
TEST BUS DRIVERS
 REAL CHARACTER
State Department Urges More Careful Investigation Be
 fore Licenses Are Issued
Big Responsibility Rest. on Man at
 the Wheel


 So great is the responsibility inc posed upon drivers of public service motor vehicles. especially large bus ses carrying many passengers at 8 time. that an extremely careful in- vestiHation of the character of each before he is licensed is proposed by the state motor vehicle department iu the March bulletin just issued
 "The process in the pnst has been that no intending public service opera tor could receive license without a certificate of moral character from some police chief" it says "bu. that law has been changed until now thc phase mentioned is more limited lt Is now provided that the commits sioner of motor vehicles may not issue q public service license Go any per son who has criminal record This is impossible of asecrtainment. unless the intending operator himself tells about it. There ought to be provided ia it's stead careful eheekine-up of the man and he should be obliged. in advpnep of qualification to file in formation with a competent author itv possible the state police. with references '
 Interstate Control
 The bulletin also calls attention ta the need If additional jaws for the management of interstate jitneys, a closer distinction between motor vehi- eles bearing the marker with the "o" prefix l. . taXicabs and livery ears and method by which manufactur- inp organizations schools and such institutions may transport their em- plovees. or members at the least pos sihle cost for greater service. The entire bulletin of the current issue is devoted to a discussion of public ser vice motor vehicles and their opera tors.
 Careful consideration of the scope of federal court decisions which, at first view. were construed to permit interstate busses to run wild" so far as regulation by the different states was concerned, "has led to the con clusion," according to the bulletin. that state may. in the exercise Of it's police power. impose regulations which tend to safeguard it's citizens Therefore the Connecticut motor vehicle department has insisted upon registration of interstate busses under Connecticut markers bearing the sym bol TN"
 Public Regulations
 The state has also exercised con trol by enforcement of police eegula- tians to the same extent as | does over purely intrastate vehicles. The control is incomplete. however, as compared with that exercised over the intrastate iitneys. The existing law is construed as not authorizing the state te regulate routes of inter state husses. frequency of passage through the state and other details at it does in the case of intrastate jitneys.
 II is recommended that people or organizations which rent ears on the sozcalled drive. yourself basis be re quired to protect the public by in- suranee or similar courage on all vehicles. against personal injury and property damage, and by required in spection and determination of the qualification of the person who is go- ing to drive each car rented.
 With respect to public service op- orators in Connecticut, the bulletin says that the departments statistics show good driving on the part of most present public service opera tors" They have not participated tn many accidents and they are gener- ally able and of good character y