Evening star., 1941-06-25
City Heads Back
Drive 10 Save
Gasoline Here
Skip-Stop Plan
For Streetcurs
And Buses in Offinq

in gasoline consumption here as a
means of avoiding drastic compul-
sorry restrictive measures"
The action of the Commissioners,
while in the nature of a general in
dorsement of the program rather
than adoption of any specific regu-
lations, gives the committee au-
thority to go ahead at once with its
educational cooperative effort.
Washington is the first city to
adopt such voluntary plan, which
is suggested as a guide to other cities
in the Atlantic coastal area where a
gasoline shortage is threatened be-
cause of the transfer to Great Brit
ain or so oil tankers.
Meanwhile, it was disclosed, ex-
pertS of the Public Utilities Com
mission are preparing recommended
tions for further extension Of the
skip-stop plan for buses ad street
cars, as means of expediting mass
transportation movements. Use Of a
skip-stop arrangement was one sug-
gestion incorporated in the program
of the Oil Conservation Committee.
Would Cut Number Of Stops.
The work is being conducted un-
der the direction of Fred A. Sager,
chief engineer of P. U. c., which he
started about two months ago in
connection with the system of
staggered hours of employment for
| Government workers. A. w. Cross
ley. executive secretary of the P.
U. c., suggested today that further
use of the skip-stop plan for buses
undoubtedly would permit some
measure of gasoline saving by less
ening the number of times when
rapid acceleration or deceleratior
of bus engines is necessary.
Mr.. Crossley suggested also that
since the Oil Conservation Commit
tee is urging more use of mass
transportation instead of private
automobiles, further use of skip.
stops for street cars might help by
providing some measure of eXpedit-
/ ing street car traffic. However, he
said, the plan did not call for 10C
per cent adoption of the skip-stop
arrangement.
Plans to enlist District and Fed
eral agencies and also individuals in
voluntary program for saving
gasoline were made by the Con-
servation Committee at a meeting
yesterday afternoon.
Fleet Measures Urged
The committee is calling on all
District and Federal officers having
charge of motor transport to adopt
measures indicated for feet users of
gasoline to bring Government
vehicle operators as well as the
public into line.
Maj. Beverly C. Snow. Assistant
Engineer Commissioner, head of the
Conservation Committee has pre-
pared specific advice on the saving
/ that could be made by Washington s
167 1888 registered motor vehicles. A
greater measure of cooperation is
expected from the individual cal
! owner and motorboat owners. Ca1
owners are asked to save % per cent
of the gas they now use and motor
boat owners to save so per cent.
Advice as to how vehicle and boat
owners and others can effect savings
is TO be carried to the public by
press releases to newspapers and
radio broadcasts and by use of post
ers. Operators of service stations
and garages are to be enlisted to
advise car owners how to make their
machines work more efficiently and
store customers and consumers
generally are to be urged to help by
making least possible demands for
deliveries.
Voluntary Until 1t Fails.
Adopting the slogan Make Four
Gallons Do What Five Did Before y
the committee made clear the pro-
gram was voluntary and that its
success would depend upon wide
spread public cooperation. But it
warned that failure might result in
adoption of compulsory restrictive
measures.
Throughout the year." the COM
mittee said in describing the situa-
tion, "a tanker leaves a Gulf Coast
port approximately every 100 min
uteS for the Atlantic Coast area.
The average tanker can carry a load
of about 100000 gallons or the
equivalent of about six train loads.
Because of this steady stream of
tankers normally in operation. the
petroleum products stored in this
region are kept at level of about
one months supply"
The advice given pleasure car
owners follows:
Avoid the racing of motors, cut
off motor while waiting for friends,
avoid racing up to red lights. reduce
speeds. use first and second gears
AS little as possible, avoid unneces-
sary use of your automobile-don t
drive just for the ride, maintain
even speeds. avoid rapid accelera-
ton and rapid deceleration, plan
your driving carefully, avoid con-
gested roads: check carburetor and
ignition frequently, check wheel and
DraKe clearances, maintain proper
tire pressure"
Car owners also were urged to
be Good Neighbors" and offer rides
to friends to and from work, the
theater and like trips, to avoid use
OF several cars when one would do.
Urged to Garry Packages.
How the store customers and
consumer may aid the program was
listed as follows:
Garry small packages home in
stead of having them delivered by
truck; notify stores of times when
deliveries can be received, so as to
avoid unnecessary return trips; avoid
having many articles sent out when
you expect to keep only one or two;
try to avoid unnecessary return of
articles; when calling for fuel and
other supplies, try to give advance
notire fo porr,,if ofySniopf ra,t;rr ~