Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-20
The Bus Speed Menace.

Motor bus service has developed In
this country to great extent during
the past decade. Thousands of these
vehicles are operating on scheduled
lines daily, usually over long distances.
In some cases these BUSES are direct
competitors of the railroads, in others
they are supplementary. In the main,
however. they are the rivals of the
rails for public patronage. In order
to gain and hold patronage they must
maintain rapid schedules, and thus they
have become serious menace on the
highways. Numerous accidents have oc-
cured, collisions between buses and
other vehicles and mishaps to the
buses themselves, due to excessive
speed.
In some of the States strict regula-
lions have been adopted and are en-
forced to keep the BUSES within rea-
sonable ranges Of performance, for the
public safety. In others, Pennsylvania
for example, on certain highways con-
shutting sections of established inter-
the speed of these heavy cars, and
shocking accidents are frequent. In
Maryland buses are being held under
rigid restraint in respect to speed on
the roads and items of equipment and
no discrimination Is shown. For that
washingtonians are grateful, for the
unrestricted bus is deadly menace to
all road users.
These heavy vehicles cannot be han
died with the certainty and efficiency
Of the smaller cars. They are capable
Of high speeds, and at such speeds are
uncertain of performance. They do not
always respond to the wheel, as in the
case of a bus which left the road yes
terday at Waterloo. Md, turning over
into the ditch at a curve. Their speeds
cannot be quickly checked, owing to
their momentum due to their great
weight Thus a speed limit that is safe
for the small car is too high for
the bus.
The schedules which it is sought by
the bus operatives to maintain In inter-
urban services require immediate re-
vision for the sake of public security.
The average highway is not broad
enough to permit its use by heavy
vehicles operated at railroad speed to-
sether with the smaller, more easily
controlled cars of private ownership
and operation. The day may come
when special roads are set apart for
bus services, with curves carefully laid
down T. suit the larger machines. and
with NJ other trafic to impede the
speedy progress Of these single-unit
common carriers. Until that day comes,
however, the public highway should be
regulated for the small unit vehicle,
the individual motor car, with the
public bus conforming to all rules de-
signed for safety.
It is in fact a bad business policy on
the part Of the bus companies thus to
race their machines over the roads,
for patrons are discouraged from re-
peatins their use of such dangerously
operated cars. There can be no guar
antee against accidents, causing dis
ablements and even death, so long as
the machines are run as they now
are rushed across country. The wise
bus management will assure its patrons
safety as we'll as comfort and reason
ably speedy and assured certainty OF
service. The unwise management will
continue to put premiums upon speed,
taking chances with reckless oper-
ators and trusting to good luck to
make each trip without misfortune.