Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-10
The Street Car Problem.

The Street Car Problem.
The difficulties encountered by the
street railway corporations in making
both ends meet have brought to light
Q good many traction experts who
otherwise might never have been known.
Some Of them advise the companies to
cut the fare IN half. Others suggest
scrapping the street cars and buying
buses. Others believe that merger Of
the lines will usher in the millennium
with due pomp and ceremony, while
others are convinced that nothing but
chaos viii continue until the street car
lines leave the surface, burrow under
ground and become subways.
There is unaninaity of opinion, how
ever, on one point. That is that the
street car corporations, by increasing
the fare to ten cents without attempt
ing to bring about commensurate i'm
provement in service, succeeded only in
driving more street car riders to the
pavements and the taxicabs. The ten
cent fare promises no great increase in
to be flourishing, and business that
shows such gains in popular esteem and
patronage is not going to be seriously
hurt by regulatory laws, no matter how
much of the gain can be attributed now
TO the lack Of adequate regulatory laws.
1t is already apparent to the public,
the Public Utilities Commission, the
peoples counsel and obviously to the
street car companies that present con-
ditions are bad and threaten only to
become worse. If the street car COM
panies are not able to derive adequate
income and meet their responsibilities
70 the public now, the increasing traffic
congestion in the streets, the growing
traffic demands of the city, the larger
population and the new fleets Of taxicab
competitors are not designed to help
them do it in the future
Whatever the solution, it must come,
primarily, from the street railway
corporations. But it is encouraging to
note that Mr.. Keech, the peoples
counsel, who is doing commendable
work In his new ONCE, Is already cast
ing about for suggestions by examining
the methods by which street car COM
panies In other cities are solving their
problems. Authoritative and intelligent
discussion Of these methods may lead to
remedies applicable here.
Cleveland has been successful with a
city zone system, where the passenger
rides certain distance at one rate of
fare, the cost Of the ride increasing with
the distance. Difficulties of fare COL
lection have been met by ingenious
mechanical devices, and by offering a
low rate Of fare for a short haul the
companies have been able to garner a
number Of passengers who otherwise
would be lost. Boston's system Of ter
minals and loops, the latter covering
the downtown congested section and
the terminals providing transfer points
for passengers bound for outlying dis
tricts, has helped the traction lines
there. Other cities are finding that new
types Of light cars with a quick get
away are valuable for use on streets
Crowded by modern trafic.
Government building in the Avenue
triangle viii add to existing trafic con-
gestion and to the difficulties of ade-
quate street car transportation to and
from work. The problem has been
recognized, but little has been done to
prepare for new conditions by wise
planning or rerouting. The street car
companies are not attracting the reve-
nue-paying passengers they should,
while the street car riders are not
getting the service for which they pay
or TO which they are entitled. A con-
ttnuation Of present conditions for any
length Of time is unthinkable, for II
they are permitted to take care Of them
selves they viii become worse. AS an
important public problem the street
railway mess demands continued and
serious study under able leadership.
mr.. Keech is right in bringing up the
matter Of what other cities are doing.