Chapter　2　 Automobiles

(Passenger Transport)

　 　 As shown in (Table 1-(2)-1, passenger transport by automobile in fiscal 1974 showed neither increase nor decrease in the number of passengers transported but 2.0% increase in passenger-kilometers as compared to the previous fiscal year.
　 　 The number of passenger transported by commercial vehicles were 9,506 minion persons for buses, 172 million persons for chartered buses, and 3,222 million persons for taxis and hire cars, down 1.1%, 3.4% and 13.8% from the previous fiscal year respectively, with drastic declines noted in the number of passengers transported taxis and hire caes.
　 　 While the number of passengers transported by privately owned cars was 14,411 million persons increasing 3.8% from the previous fiscal year, it is notable that the number of passengers transported by privately owned passenger cars, having continued dramatic growth until fiscal 1973, halted at the 5.7% increase over the previous fiscal year affected by soaring costs of fuel and other expenses since the oil crisis and road congestion.