Automobile Statistics and Trends*
by
MATTHEW C. SIELSKI
Director of Traffic and Safety Chicago Motor Club

THIS title seems to indicate a rather dry subject. Actually, it is not. It is a story of America's largest industry—an industry that employs one out of every, seven workers in the U. S. A comprehensive understanding of its history and its place in our transportation planning is of importance to you. Too often we tend to look upon the automobile as something we have to put up with rather than to realize how this phase of transportation has revolutionized our entire living and social behavior. While it has produced serious problems within cities, it has caused tremendous benefits beyond the average person's comprehension. Even though the traffic death rate is a serious matter, we should not discount the fact that the automobile has saved thousands of lives by providing means of contact with rural areas and helping those stricken in remote places. It has made health and medical facilities available to most every person in the U. S. This was not possible as recently as 40 years ago.

Before we begin to interfere with the progress of this industry, let's take a quick look at its tremendous impact upon you and me.

The Tremendous Impact of the Motor Industry

The motor industry annually, uses the following: 20% of all steel, 90% of gasoline consumed, 80% of rubber, 75% of plate glass, and 50% of malleable iron. Last year, approximately 6 million passenger cars were produced —this required approximately 1 1/4, million bales of cotton, 1 1/4 million tons of sugar, the hides of 3/4 million cattle, and 36 million tons of coal.

One out of every six businesses is automotive. There are in this country 80,000 repair shops and garages to keep motorists moving, and approximately 3 billion dollars of insurance to protect them while highway crews take care of a million and one-half miles of paved streets. There are attendants at service stations filling 4 billion gallons of fuel per month! The auto industry employs over 1 million people and the employment in related fields is 9 million. This gives a rather short portrayal of the economic impact this largest industry in the U. S. has on us. Our next thought should resort to our dependence upon the automobile. It is the most extensive medium of passenger movement in the United States. 40% of those in the lowest income group own automobiles. Of the total spent for passenger travel by all methods in the U. S., nearly 79 cents of the consumer's transportation dollar goes for automobile purchase and operation. This compares with 13 cents for local service by street car or bus, and 7 cents for intercity travel by railroad, air line, and water. After the payment of food, housing and clothing, the automobile is 4th in consumer expense.

We Are a Nation on Wheels

We have truly become a nation on wheels—far more than most people have realized. As a result of this transportation revolution, the average American has been affected by location of home, his work, his occupation, and his recreation. Cities have moved to the suburbs to accommodate those who must park and the suburbs have moved to the country to accommodate those who want more room to move about. So much has taken place since the beginning of the automobile age that it 'becomes difficult to visualize our way of life before the advent of the motor vehicle.

The motor vehicle has had a profound effect upon the metropolitan transportation system in our cities. Vehicle registrations continue to mount and the expectation is for 75 million vehicles in this country by 1970. Today we are enjoying a prosperous plateau. What effect vehicle use will have in eras of economic setback is speculative. We know that it did not halt registration increases during our last great depression. Furthermore, automotive research is in the direction of lower cost cars and fuel for the future. Plans are already underway for the development of substitute fuels with possible use of atomic energy. Lighter metals and automation will produce lower cost cars. The development of small cars for commuter and "second car" uses offer great potentials.

In this presentation, the Chicago metropolitan problem is excluded because of its peculiarities compared to downstate areas. I am now speaking of such cities as Elgin, Rockford, Aurora, Champaign, Danville, etc. Here we find that a transition in means of transportation has been gradually taking place. The intercity electric line has been replaced by the intercity bus and the private passenger car has seriously crippled the local transit system. As in the larger cities, smaller cities have also experienced a change in their city growth. The automobile has spread the city to meet the demand of the country living atmosphere. Following the War, many millions of new drivers—the women—have taken to the wheel of an automobile. It is significant to note that this trend is continuing. They also have found the automobile a convenient way to shop, visit friends, drive children to and from school, and to perform many other errands. The number of two car families is steadily increasing each year. 13% of the families in the U. S. now own two or more cars. The spread to the suburbs and demand for cars is indicative of the fact that 60% of new car buyers live in such areas.

To take care of milady's request for better service and accessibility, we have seen throughout the nation an upsurge of shopping centers. One of the bases for developing such areas was the provision of an abundant parking area without charge to the customer—a basic principle so neglected by merchants in many central business districts.

So—how are you going to get them back on the bus after they have used a car?

Basic Problems of a Transportation System

The solution to the transportation problem must consider certain basic facts.

1. As a result of the automobile, our cities have spread out thin and consequently are difficult to service economically by transit.

2. There are basic enjoyments of driving one's own vehicle which are virtually impossible to meet with a mass transportation carrier. It is pure folly, to entice motorists by using financial comparisons if basic satisfactions are not met. For example, motorists can leave home at a time of their own choice; they can do errands more easily while en route to or from work; they are not forced to wait for the arrival of a transit vehicle; they can ventilate or heat their automobiles to their own satisfaction; they can make their own choice of traveling companions; they can get up to date news over their radio; they do not have to transfer to another vehicle or wait in unfavorable weather; they feel a sense of higher social standing; their car is at their

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doorstep and they avoid walking to available transit facilities, and, last, they enjoy, driving.

There is no question that mass transportation is a sensible and, from an over-all viewpoint, an economical method for conveying people. This, however, is not a sufficient inducement to people in our democratic nation who have freedom of speech, freedom of thought and freedom of choice. For under these conditions, the people of our nation will choose that which, for them, is most convenient. With the passenger automobile being constantly improved to give greater comfort, luxury and economy to private owners it may become rather difficult to stop the ever increasing trend of utilizing this means of travel. It is, therefore, obvious that the public transportation system will increase Its number of riders only when it can more greatly satisfy the desires of our present motorist.

Congestion in the Business Districts

With the constant increased use of private passenger cars for shopping and for commutation to and from work comes the core of the problem confronting the central business district— that of congestion. As more and more cars use the streets of the central business district, the over-all speed of those cars decreases, parking spaces are limited, cars must travel unnecessarily on heavily used streets to search for these limited parking spaces and, thus, traffic degenerates into one massive snarl. Once again, the motorist, discouraged by this congestion and seeking convenience, departs from the downtown business district. Instead, shoppers do their buying in outlying suburban stores. For here traffic congestion is at a minimum and parking spaces are plentiful. As a result, decentralization of business takes place and the central community suffers. This effect has already been felt in many large cities. If this congestion and lack of parking facilities is permitted to continue, the trend toward decentralization of the business districts will gain increasing momentum.

There are those who propose, as a solution to this problem, a plan which will eliminate all private automobile traffic from entering the central district with the exception of those who have business in the area or where an emergency is present. Under these conditions people engaged in shopping or commuting to work would be required to park in areas immediately surrounding the district limits. Shuttle transit vehicles would be provided to complete their trip to the center of the business district. The theoretical assumption is, then, that transit facilities could move without interference and thus increase their speed thereby decreasing the traveling time for transit riders.

Several reasons, however, discount this theory. (1) The over-all increase in the speed of these transit facilities would not be appreciable. (2) This proposed solution would, of course, necessitate a shuttle bus service system to outlying parking lots. In order to accommodate the increased number of persons who would be forced to use transit facilities, more transit vehicles would be using the streets, creating traffic interference with each other and thereby, decreasing their over-all speed. (3) Pedestrian traffic would be greatly increased which would, of course, add to traffic interference at intersections.

What, then, is the Solution for Congestion in the Business District?

Confronted with the problem of congestion, the solution must necessarily be one which changes the present pattern of vehicular movement. The following suggestions to accomplish this objective are offered: (1) One Way Streets—this traffic movement pattern eliminates opposing streams of traffic, moves vehicles efficiently and thereby can greatly increase the over-all speed to the potential 15 to 20 miles an hour. Because one way streets increase the number of lanes going in the same direction much of the interference caused by automobiles parked for delivery purposes can be eliminated. (2) Segregation of Traffic. So long as traffic moves without a specific plan—trucks, busses, private vehicles, cabs, all on one street—it is only natural to expect congestion. Traffic in the business district may be segregated into two main classifications; namely, those making periodic stops as separated from those which are continuously moving. It would be desirable, therefore, to specify certain streets for the use of transit operations, truck deliveries and stopping by passenger cars or cabs. (3) Control of Pedestrians. It is important that attention be directed not only to the control of vehicular traffic but also to the guidance of pedestrian traffic. Uncontrolled pedestrians crossing intersections against the lights interfere with moving traffic by not allowing vehicles the full benefit of their green light. Pedestrians also interfere with vehicles which are turning to the right and must, therefore, yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian. A coordinated control of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic can be achieved by the modern Walk-Wait signals with a program enforcing such regulations. In this manner vehicles may proceed straight on the "Green" signal, pedestrians can proceed on their "Walk" signal while right turning vehicles will wait for their turn until the "Wait" phase of the pedestrian signal is on. (4) Control of Curb Lane. (During the peak rush hours of the day, curb lanes must be made available tor through moving vehicles. This, of course, means that truck deliveries, cab stands and momentary parking by private vehicles must be eliminated.

Summary

I have attempted to illustrate how the way of life in these United States has changed as a result of the automotive age. The private passenger car is as important to our transportation system as the private carrier. We cannot solve the problem by decreasing one service in preference to the other. Each has its part and is analogous to the fire and police departments. It would be unwise to cut the budget of one of these public services to satisfy the needs of the other. A good transportation plan should therefore, in my opinion, satisfy the following:

1. Develop a good major arterial plan for streets and apply known techniques of traffic engineering principles to move traffic safely and expeditiously.

2. Develop proper parking facilities wherever the demand exists.

3. Discourage diversion of gas tax funds for non-essential road improvements but spend the gas tax dollar economically and efficiently.

4. Encourage the development of a sound mass transportation system not designed to attempt to meet all the cities requirements but rather to serve heavily populated residential and industrial areas.

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