Evening star., 1932-09-04
Peoples Counsel Sees Dis
aster for Transit Companies
Unless Cut Is Made.
LARGE DECLINE SHOWN
IN PASSENGERS CARRIED
Public Utilities Commission Asked
to Call Transportation Heads
to Consider Proposal.

Peoples Counsel Richmond B. Keech.
in an open letter to the Public Utilities
Commission and the Washington street
car and bus companies, yesterday urged
adoption Of a scent fare for short
hauls. with the regular 1O-cent fare re-
naming for city-wide travel.
This zone method OF charging for
street car and bus rides has been urged
by Mr.. Keech many times, and in his
letter yesterday he put the idea forward
as constructive step aimed at saving
the traction companies from financial
disaster.
He fortified his letter with figures
showing the sweeping decline of the
mass transportation business here.
From peak of 175,612,50 pay passen-
gers carried in 1919, the business has
declined to 1886, ,063 passengers in
1881 and an estimated 97,034,OOO in
1882. In 1913, the first year in which
the figures were reported, the car COM
panies carried 4,975.000 more than they
did in 1881, and 19,278,000 more than
the estimated total for 1882, a decrease
for the latter Of 1876 per cent, in the
face Of population gain of 34.6 per
cent. The decrease since 1919 Is 34.6
per cent.
Falling Revenues Shown.
Nor. according to his figures. has the
increase in fares been of any help.
The increase came into being July IS,
1880, and yet, 1880, 1881 and 1882 have
all shown falling revenues. The figures
are 1929. s7,306,113; 1890, S5,288, ,698;
1881, $5,l9S,742, and 1882, S4,372,926.
In each case the figure Is total operat-
ing revenues up to June 80.
Mr.. Keech says these figures point to
an industry, not stagnant, but actively
and consistently declining. The pro-
posed merger, he said, would relieve the
companies Of some of their expenses in
the way Of paving taxes and the salaries
OF street-crossing policemen. but it
would do nothing to arrest the steady
decline in revenue.
THE popular fare for street car serv-
ice would be-" Mr.. Keech wrote. "of
course. nickel In the language of
the streets the charge of cents is a
natural Except for cities or towns
with all short hauls, it is doubtful at
this time that company could oper-
ate successfully on such figure. In
fact. In certain localities throughout the
United States where this has been tried
recently 1t has proved impracticable.
Merchandising Held Salvation.
Experts in the field has on repeated
occasions stated that the salvation of
the industry lies In a merchandising of
its business. If it is not feasible to oper-
ate on scent basis. the next best
thing then must be utilized
"A scent fare for a short haul. with
continuation Of the basis Of fare of
10 cents or four tokens for 80 cents
would do much to stimulate riding and
increase revenues. Indirectly, it would
tend to lessen the competition between
the street car and, the taxicab by en-
hancing the differential between the
two services.
In the taxicab hearing. officials of
the railways announced as their opinion
That the cabs were attracting short
maui riders, whereas the long -distanca
and peak-load riders were continuing
to make Use of their service. This
demonstrates the feasibility of adopting
the suggested fare system. and gives
strong indication that such course Is
warranted.
Operating Costs Same.
"One of the real advantages of such
system would lie in the fact that a
substantial increase In passengers could
be handled without any increase in
operating costs. certainly not in pro-
portion to the increase in revenue.
From the psychological point of
view. the present is the most opportune
time for installing such a system. The
Government employees have recently
experienced cut in their compensa-
tion and private industry has and Is
likewise experiencing cuts With such
reductions, the natural tendency of the
people is to look to means Of econo-
mizing"
Mr.. Keech avoided any suggestion as
to the exact zone boundaries, beyond a
hint that the nickel zone should include
the territory about i u miles from the
center Of the downtown section. The
exact boundaries should be worked out
by experts. he said.
He asked the commission to call the
companies into confer
ence, and to call public hearing upon
the subject in the near future.