AUTOMOBILIŲ TRANSPORTO RAIDA KLAIPĖDOS KRAŠTE XX AMŽIAUS PIRMOJE PUSĖJE (1900–1939)
MOTOR TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT IN KLAIPĖDA DISTRICT IN 1900–1939

Summary/Abstract: The first car in Klaipėda District (Memelgebiet) appeared in 1900, while motor transport started to spread from the 3rd decade of the XX century. In the beginning of 1920 there were 49 cars registered in the district, in 1922 108 cars registered, while in the end of 1928 – 307 cars registered. The most popular were passenger cars, whereas buses were the latest to appear and the least widespread. In the end of 1937 there were 390 passenger cars, 99 trucks and 40 buses registered in the district. The most part of the cars was registered in Klaipėda city. Comparing with Lithuanian Republic, degree of motor transport prevalence in Klaipėda district was greater: In 1938 there were 903 residents per one car in Lithuania and 222 residents per one car in the Klaipėda district. In Klaipėda district the most widespread were German and american cars, popular makes being Opel, Ford, Chevrolet, and Mercedes Benz. From the 4rh decade of the XX century in Klaipėda district passenger motor transport started to develop rapidly. In 1930 there were 13 interurban bus service routes operating, 166,870 passengers were transported, whereas in 1937 – 23 routes and 397,537 passengers transported. Most of the routes were exploiting by one bus; an exception was resort routes Klaipėda – Palanga and Klaipėda – Giruliai during summer season. Starting from the middle of the 4th decade post buses started to dominate in interurban bus service, in 1938 post administration had 18 buses. From 1934 passenger bus transport was functioning in Klaipėda city with 12 buses running by four routes. In 1935 city buses (exploited by company belonging to Klaipėda municipality) transported 1,364 mln. passengers, in 1936 – 1,519 mln., in 1937 m. – 1,752 mln. passengers. Most of the passengers were transported by the first route uniting Klaipėda railway station and industrial Smeltė (Schmelz) suburb. Car exploitation and traffic rules in Klaipėda district were strictly regulated; the main normative acts were prepared in the 4th decade of the XX century. a person needed to receive a permission to use a vehicle and such permission had to be extended annually. car owners were also obligated to pay annual fee which was calculated for passenger car according to engine power, for trucks and buses – according to weight. only persons with a driver’s license who completed an officially accredited driving school could drive a car. according to decree dated 1933 organization order of passenger motor transport was also regulated in detail. on the basis of decrees of the district’s authority people were punished for violation of traffic rules (exceed of the speed limit, driving drunk, use of car without permission extended, etc.), most frequent penalty applied was monetary fines. In autumn of 1938 motorized transport police was established in Klaipėda district for traffic supervision.

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