Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-24
BUS LINES LEAD
in TRANSPORTATION
Cover More Than Twice as
Many Miles as Electric and
Steam Routes.

Motor bus lines in the United States
now cover more than twice as many
miles as steam and electric lines COM
bined, and in addition to experimenting
the service of rail lines in metropolitan
areas have developed trade and I'M
proved the standards of living in Sec
tons not served by railroads.
In fact, 1t was hardly 10 years ago
that transportation experts Sagely nod
oed their heads when the future OF the
motor bus was discussed, and f1rmly
asserted that the bus would never be q
competitor, must less supplant the rail-
lines.
However, in this brief period of time,
although not supplanting the railroads,
it has provided supplemental service
that Is nation wide and demanded by
every industry; and on short hauls has
proven a quick. economical and effective
substitute. Only within the past year
the Interstate Commerce Commission
has reported to Congress that regula-
ton of interstate bus operation is I'M
perative.
Many Routes Covered.
The fact that there are now 635, 500
miles of route covered by bus lines, as
against 1870 miles of steam and cleo
trio lines-a fact not very generally
known--Shows the extent to which the
motor bus is playing its part in the
transportation problems of the Nation.
The tremendous sum paid In taxes by
the motor bus companies and the vast
army of passengers carried are testl-
monials to the fact that the motor BUS
has assumed a definite place In the
TRANSPORTATION world and though 1t has
not revolutionized the industry, 1t at
least has given rise to new problems to
be solved by traffic and regulatory ex-
perts, and to which Congress Is already
turning its attention.
1t would be no idle dream to predict
that within the next 10 years the Nation
will see airplanes furnishing swift serv-
ice from larger centers and fleets OF
buses working in conjunction with
them at landing fields for the quickest
distribution of passengers yet known.
These hitherto little known facts and
host of others which sheds surprising
light on the extent to which the motor
bus has grown in Importance are
cleaned from the 1928 edition of the
annual publication of the bus division
of the American Automobile Association
BUS Facts" In this little volume,
bristling with astonishing and graphic
uRureS, salient IactS dpOut Tie uluIUl
bus industry are presented in statisti-
cal sid graphic form, readily under
standable to both layman and expert.
National Organization.
The bus division of the A. A. A. is
the national organization of operators
of motor buses. Its membership, con-
sisting of % State and district motor
bus associations and "a large individual
operators of bus fleets, represents oper-
alton in excess of $4,000 motor BUSES
The annual publication, just complied
contains practically all the statistics
and facts obtainable from reliable
sources which have any bearing on the
industry, and which are presented in g
series of charts, statements and group.
ing of figures, making 1t possible fol
experts and laymen to readily under.
stand and keep In touch with the rapid
progress made by the industry. Some
of the outstanding points emphasized:
There are 44.4S6 buses used in COM
mon carrier service; there are 1886
buses used in carrying school children
back and forth from home to school: