October 13: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History

1948:  Consulting Engineer Arthur C. Jenkins submits a report to Pacific Electric Railway Company titled Passenger Loading Standards: An Analysis Of Their Effect Upon Rail And Motor Coach Lines Of Pacific Electric Railway Company.

The report analyzes the relationship between the number of passengers on Pacific Electric streetcars in relation to the number of seats available.

Passenger loading standards had been largely the result of arbitrary consideration with little uniformity in the various classifications of transit operation.

The report’s loading analysis is broken down into two areas.

First, the reaction of passengers to the comfort and convenience of frequent service (which includes standing) while assessing the agency’s ability to provide a high standard of service.

The report notes that in 1947, Pacific Electric operated at a net loss of more than $1.7 million dollars.