General Motors Streetcar Conspiracy - Relevant Actors

Relevant Actors

The businesses and people in this section have all been referenced by one other external sources in relation to the 'streetcar scandal'.

Holding companies for transport operators

• National City Lines (1920-?) Main holding company for public transport operators
• The Omnibus Corporation (1925–1954) Started by John D. Hertz, who was a director of GM Also known as the 'Omnibus Corporation of America'
• New York City Omnibus Corporation (1926–1962) Shared management with The Omnibus Corporation Later known as 'Fifth Avenue Coach Lines'
• United Cities Motor Transport (1932?-1934?) Was 'censored by the American Transit Association for its obviously self-serving role'.
• Pacific City Lines (1937–1948) Merged into National City Lines in 1948
• American City Lines (1943–1946) Merged with National City Lines 1946.

Personnel

• William Randolph Hearst American newspaper magnate and leading newspaper publisher who, according to Guy Span "had been supporting a populist campaign against the so-called "Traction Trusts" for years"
• John D. Hertz President of many relevant businesses and main board member of General Motors
• John Francis Hylan Mayor of New York from 1918 to 1925 who complained about the power of the "bankers and Rockefeller-Standard Oil interests"
• Alfred P. Sloan Head of General Motors
• Charles Erwin Wilson Former head of General Motors, later Defense Secretary

Manufacturing companies

In addition to the six business indicted in 1947:

• Yellow Cab Manufacturing Company Manufacturer of Taxicabs and parent company of 'Yellow Coach Manufacturing Company'.
• Yellow Coach Manufacturing Company Major manufacturer of Buses Coaches, acquired by General Motors

Finance organizations

• General Motors Acceptance Corporation There were allegations that the organization encouraged conversion to buses by offering the operator's banks deposits in return for conversion to buses.

Training

• General Motors Institute Training city planners with alleged bias towards buses.

Advocacy groups

• American Highway Users Alliance. Founded in 1932 by Alfred P. Sloan, president of General Motors

Affected transit lines

• Chicago North Shore Line
• Cleveland Railway (Ohio) Details are in short supply.
• Key System
• Los Angeles Railway "Yellow Cars"
• History of MTA Maryland
• New York and Harlem Railroad
• Pacific Electric Railway "Red Cars" using 'Metropolitan Coach Lines'
• San Diego Electric Railway
• Philadelphia trolleys
• Streetcars in St. Louis. Mentioned in the 1949 court papers.