Southeast Arkansas Farmer

Statewide Pooling Autos Is Planned

Plans for a statewide program for pooling privately owned automobiles to save tires got under way this week when State Department Heads met at the Capitol and agreed to try the program first among State employees.

Revenue Commissioner Joe Hardin, who is also State Administrator of the Highway Traffic Advisory Committee to the War Department, said the program later would be promoted locally through County Defense Councils.

Ben H. Wooten, Chairman of the State Defense Council, has notified Chairmen of County Councils to begin preparations for the effort.

"A large percentage of our war workers depends upon private automobiles for their transportation to and from work," Mr. Hardin said. "The flow of workers to plants is just as important as the flow of war materials. Stop either one and production stops."

Explaining that group riding is the simplest approach to the problem, Mr. Hardin said the average number of passengers per automobile now in use is less than two, including the driver.

"This means," he said, "where one automobile and its tires could serve five persons, it is actually serving less than 40 per cent of its capacity. Increasing the average load to full capacity would extend the life of the average automobile tires almost threefold."

The possibilities of group riding are unlimited, he said, adding that programs to promote the idea should be sponsored by industrial plants, labor groups, civic organizations, stores, offices, schools, and churches.

The first step in the program is a survey to determine the number of unused seats and to reveal the extent to which group riding will reduce the number of automobiles necessary. This will be done by questionnaires.