Evening star., 1943-09-29
.0PA Director
Warns Of False
Hopes on Tires
Cor Sharing Critically
Needed, Transport
Leaders Are Told

a. WNA hAAAAk NY dAi tSE "A SRDkESlIidH
that car sharing gradually viii be-
come more and more q critical
need as automobiles and tires wear
out and can't be replaced ~today was
serving as a spur. to new plans for
organizing joint-riding groups in
the Metropolitan Area.
Speaking at gathering of more
than $50 transportation committee
men and Government officials,
Charles Phillips, director of the
automotive supply rationing divi-
sion. OPA, declared there had been
lot of false optimism about how
soon synthetic tires might be avail
able to the public.
While So $500 900 new passenger
car tires were made available In
1941, the number for civilian use
in 1912 was but 3.700,000, he said.
Obviously, since 1941, a "tremen-
dous" number of miles OF usage has
been taken off the old tires, he
added, that cannot be replaced.
Most Of the 100000 tires con-
sidered available for passenger ye-
hicles this year, he said, already had
been allocated.
100000 Cars Scrapped.
More than 100000 cars already
have been scrapped, said Mr.. Phil
lips, and this process will continue
until some time after the war when
manufacture of automobiles can be
resumed.
Furthermore, he said, the East
Coast has but about IS per cent as
much gasoline for civilian use as
was consumed in normal times.
Yet, in the face of these conditions,
we have to get more people to and
from work than ever before by the
use Of the private automobile he
said.
New plans for organizing car
sharing were outlined by Traffic
Director William A. Van Duzer and
F. w. Lovejoy, executive secretary
Of the Washington Regional Conn
mittee of Defense Transportation
Administrators. New-style maps and
cards, designed to facilitate ar
rangements between car owners
and their riders now are being
printed and will be ready for dis
tribution by the Regional Commit
tee within two weeks.
Residential Zones.
The Washington area is being
divided into residential zones based
on points a mile apart. These are to
be given letter designations. Each
major traffic artery from Maryland
and Virginia areas to downtown
Washington Is to be numbered and.
In the car-share organizational
work, car owners will use cards
showing the number of miles they
live from Washington's Zero Mile
| stone.
Regional maps are to be displayed
IN Government and private Offices,
along with cards showing that car
owner Smith or Jones can take
riders. Smiths designation card,
which he will carry in his wind
shield, may say z-7-6. meaning he
lives in area 2 (see map and uses
traffic route 7 (also, see map) and
travels out as far as miles from
| Zero Milestone.
This system is to be established in
Federal and private agencies where
car-sharing programs already are
in operation. Agencies which have
not set up transportation commit
tees were urged to do so.
IS Per Cent Passengerless.
Mr.. Van Duzer, who presided. said
that IS per cent. of all types of
ration holders are driving to and
from work with no extra passengers.
Howard F. Wentworth, aide to Mr..
Van Duzer, reported that recent
checks showed that car sharing
had resulted in an increase of pas
sengers per car from LA about two
years ago to 246 now.
Others who spoke were Milton
Diehl and Benjamin G. Wilkinson,
of the Regional Committee; Com
missioner John Russell Young, who
was described as the father" of
the District car-sharing program;
Robert K. Thompson, District OPA
director, and Leo H. Mccormick.
District OPA director from Balti-
more.