Evening star., 1936-05-26
In Defense of the Transit
Company and Employees

After reading the articles by John H.
Cline on transportation, I've decided it's
about time for some one to defend the
Capital Transit Co. and the employees
from this type of destructive criticism.
In one of Mr. Cline's articles he states
that the cars are run in punches, dis
regarding the schedule.
Suppose we take street car ride in
the late afternoon and maybe we will
find the cause of improper spacing.
Starting at Thirteenth and D streets
northeast, we proceed to Union Station.
Luckily we miss the usual mess that
street cars become involved in with
taxis at this point, so down Massachu-
sets avenue we 60 and into q street.
Here is a truck double parked and the
street car cannot pass. The motorman
opens his door and looks for the driver
Of the truck. BY the time the driver
is found several minutes have been
wasted. The street car arrives at Fifth
and r streets northwest two minutes
late. His follower is there, too, but the
late car belongs ahead so he continues
down street. With a tWo-minute
headway he has a four minute streak,
and it is really surprising how many
people can congregate in four minutes
at Seventh and F streets northwest.
After missing one or two traffic lights
we are off again with pretty good
load. We don't miss stop, and by the
time We get to Fourteenth and F streets
northwest the car is packed and has lost
several minutes more. We take a look
back as we turn the corner and see
quite few empty cars behind us. Why
are they empty? Because every one
wants to ride the first car, regardless of
how packed it may be. The cars in the
rear of us are not ahead of schedule.
In fact, several of them are a little
behind schedule, due to the lateness of
the first car
BY this time there are several more
cars in the parade that come from the
Bureau of Engraving. After traffic sig
nal delays we finally get on H street
northwest. Here we run into another
traffic mess; the car stop is located
one-half way between Fourteenth and
Fifteenth streets and, although mo
Parking" signs are displayed parallel
with the loading zone, there are cars
parked there just the same. Autos and
busSes are trying to get by, running
through loading zone and on the tracks.
From here on to Seventeenth and II
streets northwest the procedure is tedi-
GUS, stop and start, stop and start At
Seventeenth and H streets the street car
Is allowed to turn only on the right turn
signal; autos turn on either ahead or
right turn signals. When the signal
turns and we can go we find an auto
has crept up so close that the street
car cannot make the turn, so we lose
the light. We are still losing time.
Quite few cars have come from Po-
tomac Park, so, by now, our car is
hopeleSsly late and out of place These
running on time.
The car we are on is not quite so
crowded. 1t looks like we won't leave
Mount Pleasant so late after all. But
wait! What is this? Oh, yes! Dupont
Circle! 1t is one-way except for street
cars. AS we push into this maelstrom
of trucks. cars and busses we see a
sign marked mo Right Turn From
Left Lane" But, although we know all
the motorists can read We can also see
flagrant disregard for signals. After
trying four or five minutes we are at
last out in the open on Connecticut
avenue. From here on it looks like clear
oolAAAiS' oO VIC 6O dHclluc
onto Columbia road and on to the end
Of the line without mishap. We stop at
Lamont street, one block from the end
of the line, and move up. a car length
at time. We look out and there is
an inspector spacing the cars. trying
to get them in their proper place and
keeping them from being punched on
their return trip.
Tof Ia
turn. We go into the spur. change
ends and back downtown we 60. How
late are we? Just II minutes
With luck we won't lose any more
time, but here is more trouble again.
We see ahead two red lights at Eight
eenth and Columbia road After losing
several minutes due to congestion, we
pass this point and, while we are re-
tracing our steps we wonder why there
are two signal lights at Eighteenth and
Columbia road. Not finding any logical
reason, we just give up.
The best way to verify this is to go
out, board street car, and ride it from
one end of the line to the other. Ask
the motorman or the conductor all the
questions that you wish, and am sure
you will receive lot of information in
a courteous way. Let the people who
complain the loudest of the poor serv-
ice and equipment think back to other
cities they may have visited and then
compare the equipment and service with
Washington. While this comparison is
being made, compare also the employees
of the Capital Transit Co. with the
employees of other cities and you will
find that, on whole, the Washington
street car men and bus men are far
above the average. Last, but not least,
where in the wide world is John @.
Public handled with whittier and softer
gloves? LEONARD L. HENLEY.