Evening star., 1941-12-27
DC. Traffic Jam
Seen Solved by
Tire Rdtioning
Order May Tie Up
$50, 900 Cors;; Public
Transport Job Grows

A strange picture of Washington
streets. free of traffic snarls and
without the din of auto horns. was
visualized today as the Govern
ments new tire rationing order
threatened eventually to place up
ward of 10000 District motor
vehicles in temporary storage.
A survey of Traffic Bureau license
figures indicated big majority Of
about l41000 pleasure cars, 4600
taxicabs and $4,000 trucks would fall
within the order prohibiting the pur-
chase of new tires.
Traffic Director William A. Van
Duzer said the city's perpleXing
traffic problems would be solved in
large measure by the restrictions,
but the task of transporting thou
sands of workers to their jobs in
the Government and private busi-
ness would become increasingly
pressing.
Drastic Hours Change Seen.
Either we will have to have more
buses and streetcars or work hours
will have TO be staggered even more
draStically. as l see it." Mr.. Van
Duzer observed.
District vehicles which will not
be affected by tire rationing intlude
about 1900 buses mot including
about 300 sightseeing buses which
will be curbed by the ORDER: 35 am
balances. approximately l40 fire
trucks. engines and auxiliary We
/ hicles, including a large number Of
six and eight wheel pieces of equip
ment: $500 Federal Government
! and 1000 District government We
| hicles, including trucks. motorcycles
and pleasure-type official cars; about
1000 physicians cars and an unde-
termlned number of automobiles
used by nurses, few private school
buses, IT'S police vehicles. including
scout cars, motorcycles, patrol
wagons and the like. and an unde-
termined number of trucks used in
essential services.
The Police Department will be
faced with the job of keeping tire
'bootlegglng al a minimum once
the full effects Of the rationing order
are felt, officials admitted. The Fed
eral Bureau Of InveStiga ton already
has warned automobile and truck
owners to make arrangements TO
safeguard their tires.
Mr.. Van Duzer said that parking
and storage Of out-of-use cars would
be problem that would have to be
worked out as the need for space
arose. He predicted that a large
number Of storage lots and garages
would crop up as the rationing
program developed.
Double Up Idea Approved.
He admitted the necessity Of
changing some regulations banning
daytime parking on certain resi-
dental streets might arise. but stat
ed that no studies looking toward
this end had been started.
! District officials generally agreed
that Price Administrator Leon Hen
derson's suggestion that motorists
double up" in driving to work
would be one of the greatest aids in
rubber conservation. This should
be started now" one official COM
mented. Drivers will save them
selves lot of headaches if they will
begin Immediately to keep their
driving at a minimum"
The Capital Transit Co. already
has on order 200 new buses and 81
street cars, but the big question is
when it will be able TO get deliveries.
The Nations armament program he's
put a crimp in heavy civilian vehicle
production. Tanks. guns and
armored cars take precedence over
buses and street cars.
Truck Ruling Discussed.
Although the tire eligibility re-
: quirementS issued by the o. P A,
last night did not detail trucks to
be classed as essential" it was felt
that this feature of the regulations
would be flexible. One official COM
mented that a vehicle transporting
a certain commodity in Washington
might be essential whereas the same
vehicle transporting the same COM
modify in another city might not be
The prohibition does apply to such
! vehicles as milk, bakery and depart
ment store trucks, but spokesmer
pointed out that relief could be
gained in these categories.
Suggestions we're made that there
could be pooling of retail delivery
, facilities. AS an example, it wa'
pointed out that as many as four OF
!. five milk trucks now deliver milk or
one route, and it would be possible
, tor the four or five companies tc
! agree on single truck to care fol
: one route. Some officials also notec
; that many large trucking companies
). had large stocks of tires ON hanc
which would carry them for some
time.