Evening star., 1936-05-17

engineer for the Public Utilities Com
mission, said at the commissions re-
cent transit hearing:
1.-THE Capital Transit Co. manage
ment does not know hour by hour, or
day by day, what Is occurring on the
streets. and, in my opinion, until the
company inaugurates such reports,
such observations, and such control
over all its vehicle operators, wherever
they may be on the street, that they do
know that they are operating there in
accordance with their schedules or in
accordance with the desired uniform
headway, any material improvement
in the service cannot be expected"
Schedules Held Neglected.
Another complaint frequently made
is that in certain instances scheduled
busses and street cars do not operate
at all.
A glaring instance of this occurred
about year ago on the Mount Pleas
ant street car line. Twenty cars were
scheduled to operate northbound be-
tween Z and 8 pm, but check re-
vealed that only Is cars were actually
operated. An immediate investigation
was made, disclosing that seven cars
had failed to run because of an
agreement among the operators con-
corning their supper hour. The Incl
dent was reported to company officials
and remedial steps taken with the
result that there was no recurrence
Of that particular condition. Other
studies have shown, however, that in
numerous instances scheduled cars
did not operate at all, often without
the knowledge of the company.
Recent years have witnessed q
steadily developing contest between
street cars and busses for the work OF
public transportation, and in WASH
ington, as in other cities, the street
car has been losing ground.
The most marked instance here OF
this trend lies in the substitution OF
busses for street cars on Connecticut
avenue. Since December !, 1888, the
Capital Transit Co., has purchased
and placed in operation SO busses with
a seating capacity Of 1911. As against
this, only 20 new street cars have
been ordered. They have a total
seating capacity of $50, with rush
hour capacity Of 1882.
New Street Cars Faster.
The new street cars, however, are
capable of starting much faster and
stopping more quickly than the old
cars. and it is believed this feature
NAV enable them to compete more
successfully with the busses by more
nearly equalizing their respective
schedule speeds.
Until recent years the mass trans
portation system had been losing pa
irons as a result Of poor service and
poor equipment. Lately, however
parking difficulties have induced many
automobile owners to leave their cars
at home, offering the transportation
lines an unusual opportunity to re-
| gain lost patronage.
In 1884 the Capital Transit Co
carried l30906,865 passengers. BY
1885 this total had climbed to 15l,-
O42. .28O and during the first three
months of 1896 4O,368 1896 passengers
were carried.
Discussing the opportunity thus Of
fered the transit company, the Pub
lie Utilities Commission, in a recent
statement, summed up its views as
follows:
Mass transportation has been Of
fered an opportunity to regain its
former favored position. How can
this opportunity be used and economic
waste or failure prevented? The fol-
lowing trite but all-descriptive phrase
gives the answer: Maximum reason
able service at minimum cost to riders
Success can only be attained by
speedy and dependable operation OF
cars and busses and by modern equip
ment well maintained.
In the final analysis the success
or failure of the Capital Transit Co
is dependent upon those charged with
its management. They have a dual
duty. They must have a will to serve
and must inculcate a like spirit in
| their agents, and they must realize
that no monopoly can now exist ir
urban transportation. Disregard oi
what has gone before will mean fail
ure to the company and detriment te
the public"