The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-08-24
Greyhound
.CutS-Back
Bus Fares

voluntary request is b e ng
made of the Michigan Public
Service Commission for permits
sion to restore the excursion
rates on Tuesday, August "a, on
all Greyhound suburban opera
tions.
Our company, is taking this
action, so that the public will
have the benefit Of the excep-
tionally low excursion rates,
while the company reviews with
OPA officials, the reasons why
these excursion rates cannot be
continued.
| have advis G Harry r.
Booth, utilities counsel of the
OPA in Washington, and A. d.
Ruegesegger, OPA Detroit At
torney, of this action by tele-
gram and also pointed out TO
them that the present basic tar
if which is now in effect was
also in effect on September Is,
1912, when price ceilings were
fixed, and for several years
prior to OPA II is our conten-
ton, therefore, that our action
was not in violation of OPA
regulations.
The company understands that
the basic tariff is the ceiling
tariff under OPA regulations.
Consequently we filed the re-
CURED 30-day notice of cancel
lation of the excursion fares
with the Michigan Public Serv-
ice Commission on July 10, and
posted public notices as requir-
ed by law that cancellation of
excursion fares would become
effective on August TO.
Last March we advised the
War Labor Board that il would
be necessary 10 increase fares If
wages were increa e d. The
Board approved II cent in
crease in the bus drivers wages
from 90 cents 10 Sll0 per hour.
Much has been made of the
fact that in one instance the
fare was doubled, " h EN- we
went back TO the basic tariff,
but actually the average increase
on all suburban routes was esti-
mated at only Is per cent.
On these same u b u T b n
routes, the wages of bus driv-
err have shot up as per cent and
the wages of mechanics have in
creased so per cent during the
last two years. These sharp in
creases in costs become more
significant when We realize that
As per cent Of our total operat-
ing costs go for wages.
Fares on our buses serving the
down river communities have
been extremely low o.. in
fact they are lower than for SIM
liar service any other place ~
the country.
The facts are that most Of our
suburban operations have been
losing money under the eXcur-
sion fare plan. do not believe
that any minded person ex-
poets a transportation company
TO carry passengers below actual
cost.
In most suburban operations,
buses carry a full load only one
way, which is responsible for
high operating costs.
Moreover greatly increased
employment in war production
factories has built peak load
transportation periods.
We have purchased equip
ment to provide transportation
for the peaks, although much
of the equipment must remain
idle most of the day. This, too,
means higher operating costs.
1t should be remembered that
during a period when all other
prices are shooting higher and
higher, bus fares have remained
fixed Over the last l0-year Pc
riod bus fares, in general, have
been reduced.
Actually, we have had only a
few complaints from regular
bus passengers. since the fares
were revised. The protests have
come from the persons who only
ride a bus occasionally, and do
not take advantage of book-lot
The company has acted in
good faith in trying TO adjust in
and we have acted in
what we believed TO be a legal
and perfectly fair manner.
We are fully prepared 10 re-
view these matters in detail with
OPA, and we feel certain that 1
the sound and fair position /
Greyhound has taken in the
matter of suburban operations /
will be recognized.