Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-14
RAILROADS SEEKING
f. MORE PASSENGERS
Better Service and Revisions
in Rates Planned byo3
Carriers.
BY J. c. RoYLE.


The railroads of the United States are
going 10 md out just how much COM
fort and service and even luxury mean
to the American travelling public. Then
the majority OF them are going to gauge
their passenger rates and accommoda-
tons to that knowledge.
Members Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission with power to regulate
rates are thoroughly advised that the
passenger trafiic Of the carriers has
been falling on. They know that the
roads cannot continue to give the type
OF service now offered the public at any
cheaper rate and show anything but
loss on passenger business.
Passenger Rates.
Expansion Of freight business 10
counterhalance the admitted loss In
passenger trafiic may come about, but
u can only ocme with time and de-
velopment OF the territory traversed. Il
may De regarded as q definite attitude
that the commission would welcome an
increase In passenger trafnc. That may
nave been the motive behind the COM
missions grant OF permission to the
Atchison, Topeka q Santa Re system TO
Keep three classes Of passenger rates IN
effect until January I.
These uinerenttals in rates are based
on olf1erentials in service and range
from transportation In a coach wsfh
comparatively minor service 10 de hlxe
Pulimans with every service for COM
lott ana luxury. Other railroads are
watching the experiment with an EAGLE
eye and are prepared TO follow suit.
ThiS three-fare system of the Santa Ne
parallels the system In vogue for years
IN europe, where first, second and third
class travel has been Q recognized pol.
ICY. European roads. however, have
used the system on comparatively short
hauls, and the Santa Re system, with
which the Western Pacific has Joined Ia
this matter, Is the first to put II into
effect over any such distance as that
between Chicago and San Francisco
and Los Angeles.
Bus Composition.
The Santa Fe's application to the
competition, but that factor e foremost
in the mind Of nearly every railroad
executive in the country today. Most
of the roads operate some bus lines Of
their own, They declare the question
of rates Is the one factor on which the
bus lines threaten them. They say
that the poorest Of their trains make
better time and offer more comfort and
luxury than do the buses over any ex-
scuoCu Euu 0ue tLlc JUS 4aLcs ahS
low. 1t is with the idea OF competing
with these bus fares that the three
rates are being considered.
The roads believe they can offer SUI
perior transportation, better time and
more comfort Ii they put on third class
cars, while not upto the de luxe stand
ard, will give more freedom OF move
ment, more comfort and more safety
than can be furnished by the buses
L. q aa~Na Akn
with the buses over either long or short
hauls.
In its application the Santa Re says:
"Your petitioner invites attention TO
the fact that the appalling decline in
passenger revenues Of all carriers Is q
matter OF common knowledge and deems
1t its duty to experiment from time to
time to determine whether or not addi-
tional revenue could be created by stirn-
ulating trafic through the means Of
temporarily reduced fares. The decline
in passenger revenues has been acceler-
ated by the economic compression Of the
last 10 months. It appears that the
class Of trafnc which, for the sake Of
economy, uses coach services Il more
sensitive to the depression, and the de-
cline In teh cheaper class Of service
had been acute.
Expect TrafIic Gain.
ct is, therefore, the intention Of your
petitioner that the reduced coach fares
viii create q substantial volume Of traf
fic and increase your petitioners pas
senger revenues and at the same time be
great boon to people Of small means
Experience has demonstrated repeatedly
that there Is q class of traffic which
can be moved at these temporarily re-
duced fares, . part Of which win not
move at all and the remainder win find
less expensive means for transportation.
(copyright, 1880