Evening star., 1927-05-28
INDEPENDENT BUS
IDEA IS PASSING
Motor Transportation Is Be.
ing Used as Adjunct Now
to Railroads.
BY j. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Spectral DlSpatcn 10 Ine StdT.
NEW YORK, May 2S.-Independent
operation of motor busses as common
carriers apparently has passed it's
peak, according to census just COM
piled by two authoritative sources.
The use of motor busses in connec-
tion with electric and steam lines,
however, Is just commencing to show
growth. Transportation men declare
this proves the contention that most
effective use of the bus lies in CO.
ordinating it with rail lines and using
each method of transportation in the
field where it fits best.
The number of common carrier
busses in operation today by inde-
pendent companies, including both
intrastate and interstate commerce,
totals less than $4,000, compared with
$4,000 in 1926 and 31,100 in 1925.
Electric and steam railways have
gained from 5000 in 1925 to S.040 at
present. Some of the most prominent
Independent companies have failed.
Some of those which went into the
business ION a shoe string" and
bought their busses on installment
payments have gone out of business
and have turned their cars back to
the finance companies.
Within the Business.
The change has been one within
the business, however, as operation of
passengers buSseS as whole has
gained from 34,1O0 in 1925 to 42.O40
in 1927.
The real gain in bus sales, however,
has been in the field Of non-common
carrier transportation. The largest
demand of this sort has been for
busses to transport pupils to school.
Buses sold for that purpose totaled
5000 in 1925 and today exceed $4,000
in number. Hotel busses have stood
still, but sightseeing busses have
gained from $500 to $3.50. There is
no change of moment shown in the
number used for industrial purposes.
The total busses are placed at 80,040,
as compared with 52,925 two years
ago.
In Cleveland, where the "service.at.
cost" railway system put in busses at
public insistence, the busses are not
paying expenses on a 10-cent fare,
car riders have to make up the bal
ance. In Chicago, under the new
traction system, busses will be CO.
ordinated with surface, subway and
elevated systems. Efforts are being
made to coordinate bus and electric
car service in st. Louis.
The truck business, in contradis.
tinction to busses, has shown this year
that it has not reached it's peak. So
far this year truck sales have been 10
per cent above the corresponding
period of 1926. The lighter, faster
trucks have gained a firm foothold
with the purchasing public, and they
proved so flexible in traffic that they
have not materially increased street
and highway congestion.
Traffic Problem Unsolved.
The problem of traffic congestion is
still 'unsolved, according to Clarence
o. Sheriff., city manager of Cincin.
natl. The streets are usually the same
width as before the advent of the au.
tomobile, and the problem cannot be
considered as solved by making so
many restrictions as to force pedes-
trians or essential vehicles out of the
business areas.
1.-THE really vital thing" he con.
tinues, "is to get the mass of workers
and shoppers to the stores, factories
and offices in the shortest time posi-
BILE. This makes it essential to give
right Of way first to street &C IS and
then to motor busses and third to taxi
CABS
Mr. Sheriff. favors prohibiting park.
ing entirely in congested city areas.
He estimates each parked car takes
up $4,000 worth of space in the aver.
age American city in terms Of square
foot real estate value.