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The aggregate volume of freight traffic by all types of carriers increased substantially during 1950. All freight agencies carried more freight and passengers in 1949 and 1950 than in 1939, but, except for war years, the growth was greater for air, highway, and pipeline carriers than for the other carriers. By 1949, rail freight had risen by 53 per cent while air and highway freight had risen by 941 and 125 per cent, respectively. Water freight had increased by 16 per cent.
Total passenger-miles of intercity travel by private and for-hire carriers increased by 24.2 per cent.
By 1950, the ownership of motor vehicles had exceeded all previous peaks. Truck transport also developed substantially, stimulated by the recovery of production and trade.
However, intercity and urban bus travel declined, perhaps largely because of the more widespread ownership of passenger cars and also because of higher fares. Many bus lines in 1950 became less profitable than during 1949.
The progress in highway construction was threatened by rising costs, which, during 1949, had fallen about 25 per cent from the peak 1948 level.
Automobile registrations in 1950 totaled 39,710,000 representing an increase of more than 12.3 million automobiles in the ten-year period.
The fact that new car registrations in 1950 exceeded the net gain in total automobile registrations reflects scrappage of old models. Truck and bus registrations for 1950 were estimated at a total of 8,774,000, or 6.5 per cent in excess of the 8,236,914 recorded in 1949.
According to the Bureau of Public Roads, in 1950 motor-vehicle travel broke all previous records. Traffic on all rural roads, totaling 216.3 billion vehicle-miles, was seven per cent higher than in 1948, 16 per cent higher than in 1947, and about 27 per cent above the 1946 volume.
Total expenditures at all levels of government for highways, roads, and streets approached the $4 billion level in 1950. $2,082 million was expended on state highways, $923 million on local roads, and $631 million on city and village streets.
In recognition of the importance of the highway program, Congress enacted the Federal-Aid Highway Law[13] of 1950, approved on September 7, 1950. The new law raised the level of assistance to the Federal-aid highway system to $500 million annually. An additional $79 million a year was authorized: $20 million for Forest Highways; $17.5 million for Forest Roads; $10 million for National Park Roads; $6 million for Indian Roads; $4 million for the Inter-American Highway; $3.5 million for Alaska Forest Roads; and $5 million for Public Land Roads.
Task 2. Work in pairs. Ask and answer questions using the active vocabulary and the information in the text above.
1. What was the record of freight traffic by all types of carriers in the USA during 1950?
2. Which of the carriers carried more freight and passengers?
3. What stimulated the development of truck transport?
4. Why did intercity and urban bus travel decline in 1950?
5. What threatened the progress in highway construction in 1950?
6. What were the estimates of truck and bus registrations in 1950?
7. What were the government total expenditures for highways, roads, and streets in 1950?
8. How much money was expended on state highways?
9. How much money was expended on local roads?
10. How much money was expended on city and village streets?
11. What did the Federal-Aid Highway Law of 1950 authorize?
Task 3. Put in prepositions (if a preposition is necessary) and translate the sentences into your mother tongue. Consult the text above.
1. $2,082 million was expended ___ state highways.
2. Automobile registrations in 1950 represented an increase __ more than 12.3 million automobiles ___ the ten-year period.
3. By 1949, rail freight had risen ___ 53 per cent.
4. The aggregate volume of freight traffic ___ all types of carriers increased substantially during 1950.
5. The growth was greater ___ air, highway, and pipeline carriers than ___ the other carriers.
6. The progress ___ highway construction was threatened ___ rising costs.
7. Total expenditures ___ all levels of government ___ highways, roads, and streets approached ___the $4 billion level.
8. Traffic ___ all rural roads was ___ seven per cent higher than in 1948.
9. Truck transport was stimulated ___ the recovery of production and trade.
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| IV. Grammar exercises | | | I. Active vocabulary |