Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-23
Bus Confusion.


lines increased in Washington that a
union bus terminal. foreseen some
time ago as future need, has become
a pressing necessity. Twenty-siX bus
systems operating from ten separate
terminals" which are terminals in
name only, now clutter up the public
streets, for the use Of which they pay
no taxes. The Public Utilities Com
mission, an agency which has its
hands full is the only centralized in
formation bureau regarding the time
of departure and destination of the
husses. and the bus patrons suffer fur
Their from the inconvenience and con-
fusion resulting from the lack of ade-
uuate waiting rooms and other facili-
ties with which travellers should be
provided. The present terminal on
Little Ninth street. used by the ma
iority of the bus lines, would be no
credit to a small city. For the Capital
City of Washington it is altogether in
e adequate and inappropriate. Other
terminals. with the exception of the
w, B. & A. station at Twelfth street
and New York avenue, used by one
bus system, consist merely of free
parking space on the public streets
near hotels.
A municipality owned and operated
bus terminal for Washington Is not
considered feasible, even were it pos
sible. Ownership and operation of
bus terminal is peculiarly a matter
for private enterprise. Eventually a
group Of investors may decide to build
and operate a bus terminal in Wash
ington. for the soundness of such an
investment has been demonstrated
elsewhere. But the situation in Wash
ington is already acute. Some action
Is needed to hasten the construction
Of such terminal.
The whole question of regulation
and control of interstate bus traffic is
muddled, and until Congress enacts
clarifying legislation the local authori-
ties may find their hands tied. In ad-
dition, the public is always to be con-
sidered. A large portion Of the sub
urban population now depends upon
the bus as a means of transportation.
Denying the buses stop-ovcr priv
ileges on the public streets might be
cutting off a nose to spite face. But
IL private enterprise continues to hold
back in the matter of constructing a
bus terminal, some pressure must be
brought to force. the bus operators to
solve a problem of their own bring
ing. In other cities bus operators
have combined in the building and op-
Grafton of union terminals. Their &C.
ton, in some instances, has been has
tened by city authorities, who denied
them the use of street space for free
and unlimited parking. Forced to build
a terminal or go out of business, they
have found ways to choose the former
alternative and increase their business
ut the same time.
Bus lines are no longer experiments.
They have won place for themselves
which will continue to grow in impor-
lance with the growth of the communi-
ties they serve. But as public utilities
they cannot escape the responsibilities
to the public now borne by the estab
Hshed railways and street car lines. II
no one chooses to build terminal for
them, they must do 1t themselves. The
Public Utilities Commission should find
ways of bringing this about, and the
sooner they are found the better for
Washington and the bus-riding public.