Evening star., 1932-10-30
OPERATING INCOME
OF TROLLEY F|RMS|
DECLINES S564,37|
Peoples Counsel R. B. Keech
Reveals Decrease First
9 Months of 1882.
LINES HAVE GREATEST
LOSSES IN SEPTEMBER
Plea for Salvation of Companies,
Hit by Private Cars and Taxis,
Is Renewed.

Reports showing the operating rev.
enues of the Washington Railway &
Electric and Capital Traction Cos. for
the first nine months Of this year fell
$564,567 below the income for the same
period of 1881 were compiled yesterday
by Richmond B. Keech, peoples coun-
sci before the Public Utilities Com
mission.
The companies according to the re-
ports, suffered the greatest loss in Sep
tember, a month in which an improve
ment was expected. In this month the
Washington Railway & Electric Co.
reported an operating income Of $685.,
compared with $55,642 in September of
last year. For the Capital Traction
Co. the reports showed operating rev.
enues totaling s1e,75O in September
this year, as against s39,018 in the
same month of 1881
The total operating income Of the
Capital Traction Co. for the first nine
months of this year was $780, SOB. In
the corresponding period of last year
the total was s539,184. The Washing
ton Railway & Electric Co.'S income
was S306.851 for the first nine months
of this year. compared with s632,742
for the came period last year.
Passengers Total Drops.
The operating losses were due to a
falling-off in passengers. The Capital
Traction Co.. the reports showed, car
ried 34,204 ,949 passengers in the first
nine months of 1881, and 29,47l, TAI in
the same period this year. For the
Washington Railway G. Electric Co., the
report showed a loss of 5,37O,082 pas
sengers. This company carried 44,449.-
so6 passengers in the first nine months
of 1881, and 3s,o7s,724 in the CORE
spending period this year.
The continued decline in revenues
caused Keech to renew his plea for
salvation" Of the car companies
through adoption of an experimental
zone. system with a scent fare for
short hauls. or some other method that
would attract car riders. His original
proposal was turned down by the COM
mission as well as the companies
The companies took the position that
they were unwilling to experiment with
any new fare scheme that did not
guarantee against further losses in rev.
evident that the result of his plan
cannot be determined until it is given
fair trial
5 and 10 System Is Urged.
Competition from the private car
and low price taxicab5," Keech said.
has made it necessary for the railway
companies to make now, more than
ever, the charge commensurate with
the service rendered. The S and 10
cent system of operation has already
met with favorable response in many
places. One of the leading authorities
on urban public transportation. John
A. Beeler, has stamped such operation
with his approval, and has presented
statistics to support his theory. Such
assist in merchandising the service"
Keech said he proposed his plan as
means of helping the car companies
help themselves. and in spirit of CO.
operation. The companies, however,
he declared. sit by idly and bemoan the
fact that their revenues are declining,
without making any effort to inject
any new public appeal into the street
car service.
"The condition is not peculiar to
Washington" Keech said. Car COM
panies throughout the country are in
similar position, in so far as I have
been able to learn. OF course. it is
generally known that the situation Is
due primarily to the private automobile.
There are two other contributing
factors. however-the low priced taxi
which has been able to stay in existence
way companies to meet the require
ments of modern times. The first OF
these is speed; the second, comfort,
and the third, a fare commensurate
with the service rendered"
Other Plan May Be Formed.
Keech pointed cut that if the COM
panies are unwilling at this time to
experiment with combination 5 and
10 cent zone fare, perhaps some other
plan could. be worked out that would
lead them to increased revenues, or at
least stop the steady decline. It would
panles to put scent short-hsul fare
into effect during the ff-peak period
as a means of attracting riders.
"The railway companies" Keech
said. "can be saved in a comparative
way at least. from their precarious
situation, and without immediate ex-
penditure of money, which is impor-
tant
"The officials Of the companies have
testified that the patrons which they
have lost were the off-peak and short
haul riders. The opinion Of the local
pearing in a recent utility publication,
which show that in 1918 approximately
40 per cent of the passengers carried
were short riders, whereas today this
number has been decreased to Is per
cent This demonstrates that the pub
lie feels that the service rendered for
the short downtown haul is not COM
mensurate with the charge"