Evening star., 1932-08-29
TRANSIT SYSTEM
AID IS HELD NEED
U. S. Chamber of Commerce
Group Declares Car Lines
Build Urban Trade.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Z special DlSpdLCn 10 Inc StaG.
NEW YORK, August 29-Stressing
the Importance of local transit facilities
in improving urban business a special
committee of the United States Cham
Der of Commerce today reported the
need for cooperation by business men
and public officials in maintaining ade-
quate mass transportation service in
the cities.
The report was made public by the
American Electric Railway Association
| in connections with Nationwide sur
vey of transit conditions conducted by
a group headed by Chester 1. Barnard.
president of the New Jersey Bell Tele-
phone Co.
Business recovery is linked closely to
| gool local transportation in all urban
communities, the report stressed, and
business men should make every effort
to see that it is maintained. More
than IA billion passengers are being
carried annually by electric rail- bus
and trolley bus lines in cities of the
country, it was pointed out.
Financial Aid Needed.
! According to the report, financial
conditions of most lines are SO critical
| that unless immediate remedial steps
are taken to relieve the industry, service
| cannot continue. Public cooperation
which will enable private arrangements
to carry on, or subsidy by public funds,
| were said to be inevitable. Relief from
charges listed as unfair, including paw
| ing costs and taxes sometimes totaling
onetenth of gross receipts, was urged
| in the emergency.
! Maintenance of the electric rail lines
as "the backbone of local transporta-
ton" was advocated. The electric rail
car was cited as the most economic user
| of street space and 1t was stated that
all but 90 Of 275 cities with a popula-
ton of more than 25,0o0 are being
served in whole or in part by mass
transportation lines. While electric
railways generally have adopted the
| bus in supplemental service. the COM
mittee found no indication that The bus
would wholly Supplant rail lines.
Despite the increased use of private
! automobile and taXicab," the report
I said, statistics show that the mass
transportation agencies rs q whole are
carrying substantially as many passen-
gers as 10 years ago. although in many
communities this is not the case.
Garry I4,O0O, 600, 900 Persons.
I'm 1880 more than $4,000 600, COO
| passengers were carried in our cities by
street railways and affiliated bus lines.
This traffic was handled by $50 COM
| panies with capital investment in
| their city transportation business
amounting to S3,350,000,000.
Although these companies are rem
dering vital public service. the public
has to serious extent lost confidence
in their securities, and the companies,
therefore, suffered from their lack OF
credit. This has made it impossible
to improve and extend facilities as
needed, and also has made it extremely
difficult and, in many instances, i'm
possible to finance maturing obl-
cations"
The report warned against adoption
Of hastily conceived traffic congestion
relief plans, pointing out that many
cities have adopted programs that have
inflicted great burdens on taxpayers
and that have also resulted sometimes
in irreparable losses to property owners
and business men through the shifting
of business centers.
Full Utility Important.
It is vitally important to business
men, it was declared that full utility
of present transportation facilities be
obtained. The problem involves relief
from traffic congestion SO as to aid
business and property values and CEN
tral areas, and at the same time halt
ing the rapidly mounting burden of
public taxation resulting from expendi-
lures for relief measures"
Transportation managements, un-
aided, are poWerleSs to develop their
facilities to their full economic useful
ness" it was explained. Local business
! 1ead thaTpfnra in III
strategic position to aid in working out
between communities and companies
constructive local programs of transit
and traffic improvement"
The committee criticized sharply taxi
cab organizations which rent cars tC
individuals by the day and permit their
operation under a fiat fare for CITY,
wide service. Operation of cabs under
meter service was recommended as fair
to both driver and passenger and con-
ducive to public safety by virtue oi
careful operation.
Would Assess Property.
Application of public funds to transit
improvements where limited receipts
would make them impossible was Sug-
gested on the ground that improve
ment of local transportation facilities is
as lmortant as street widenings. Assess,
ment of benefited properties adjoining
rapid transit lines was Endorsed.
Careful study of the type OF trans
portation best fitted to local needs wa:
urged. Most cities, it was said, cannot
afford to build subwayS, which call fol-
public funds. The economy, comfort
and safety of surface 1ail lines were
emphasized. but their unattractiveness
to investors under present earning
conditions also was noted. Replace.
ment of rail lines by busses has result
ed almost invariably" it was stated
in increased fares and has raised the
problem Of protecting the rail line in
veStor.
Expenditure by the electric railway
industry of s5O0,000 in research wa:
cited as indicative of the determined
effort being made by the industry tc
solve transit problems and aid COM
munities. Public regulation should bt
centralized as much as possible, it wa!