STUDIES IN THE COST OF URBAN TRANSPORTATION By F. W. DOOLITTLE Director Bureau of Fare Research American Electric Railway Published by the AMERICAN ELECTRIC RAILWAY ASSOCIATION From the Office of the Secretary 8 West 40th Street, New York, N. Y. PREFACE To the Executive Committee of the American Electric Railway Association: Two years ago the Committee on Cost of Passenger Transportation Service of the American Electric Railway Association recommended the formation of the Bureau of Fare Research. The Committee referred to some of the problems, the study of which was then to be assigned to the Bureau. Mr. F. W. Doolittle was selected to fill the position of Director and began his work in May, 1914. Since that date the work of the Bureau has been conducted under the general supervision of this Committee. It has covered generally the ground as originally planned. The Bureau has made a number of special investigations, the results of some of which have been published from time to time. Publication of the results of other studies has been withheld until sufficient material has been gathered to make a fairly comprehensive summary of the many factors affecting the cost of passenger transportation service. All the investigations bearing on the cost of service so far made by the Bureau, have been assembled under the title, "Studies in the Cost of Urban Transportation Service," and are offered to the Association and others interested in the economic factors affecting street railway rates of fare and service in the hope that they will assist in clearing up much of the misunderstanding that prevails in many quarters as to the actual financial results of electric railway operation and the possibilities of lower fares and larger contributions from electric railways toward the cost of government. The electric railway industry is indebted to Mr. Doolittle for this comprehensive summary of cost and service factors. The Committee would be highly unappreciative if it did not record its thanks to Mr. Edwin Gruhl, who carried the burden of representing the Committee in many of the conferences with Mr. Doolittle. Respectfully submitted, CHARLES N. BLACK, HENRY G. BRADLEE, THOMAS N. MCCARTER, PAUL SHOUP, JAMES D. MORTIMER, Chairman, Committee on Cost of Passenger Transportation Service. October 1, 1915. [iii] 339513 |