Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-29
0ne-Man Cars and Merger.

| FoStpOncment OF aCtlOn on the one
man car question permits a further
consideration of this matter by the
Public Utilities Commission, which, ac-
cording to report, was about to de-
eide in favor Of the application for
| the installation of more Of these We
hicles on the lines of one Of the trac-
| lie sentiment on the question showed
that a majority is in opposition to the
cheaper service, although an made.
quate response was made to the com.
missions invitation for an expression
Of opinion. One of the associations Of
| citizens, covering a region in which
the one-man car service prevails, IA
vors the extension of the system pro-
vided a better type of car is adopted.
The traction company on the lines
Of which these cars are used asserts
that unless the application is granted
it will be compelled to ask for higher
rate Of fare on all of it's lines. 1t does
not follow that such an application
would be granted. The commission
has jurisdiction over the matter and
il the application Is made it must con.
slider all the factors of the situation.
Perhaps it would be just as we'll to
meet that issue now.
One.man car service is cheaper serv.
ice, and it cannot be regarded as equal
to that rendered by the two-man cars
1t is not as speedy. 1t slows the street
traffic. owing to the longer stops re-
quired at passenger points. 1t may
be as safe as the other, inasmuch as
the car cannot be started by the
motorman while he Is engaged in max
ing change, selling tokens, taking
fares and issuing transfers. Perhaps
in some respects it is safer, as the in
coming and outgoing passengers are
all under the observation of the one
man. But that factor is to be weigh.
ed against others, affecting the con-
venience of the passengers and the
state of the traffic.
If cheaper service is necessary to
prevent fare increases. the question
arises whether the present basis Of
fares is appropriate to the general
transportation situation in Washing
ton. And in this connection it is to be
urged that il the condition of one of
the two traction companies Is such
as to require economies that lessen
the value of the service to the public,
while the other company is able to
maintain itself profitably on the ex-
listing rate of fare without resort to
such expedients, the merger of the
two corporations under single owner
ship and operation is imperatively re.
quired.
Efforts to secure the basis for a
merger have failed. Congress is hold
ing of from the matter in the hope
that the corporations themselves can
come together upon terms that will
be acceptable to the Public Utilities
Commission and to itself. Compulsory
merger has been regarded as undesir-
able, so long as there has been the
possibility Of an agreement of the
companies on terms equitable to the
community. But in view of the lack
Of progress toward that end, 1t be-
comes apparent that eventually the
matter must be taken in hand to
effect consolidation without further
waiting for corporation initiative.
The one-man car issue is closely re-
lated to this question of merger, for
it involves the fundamental difficulty
Of adjusting fares and service on two
distinct systems which should be uni
fed, but which in their present con.
dition are widely variant in their
financial conditions.