354 ARTICLE 56.

a permit from the Public Service Commission of Maryland, authorizing
the motor vehicle owner to operate on a certain route, to furnish the motor
vehicle owner with a distinguishing plate or marker. No such motor
vehicle owner shall change said schedule or route of his motor vehicle
during any year for which a certificate has been issued, without a permit,
in, writing, made in duplicate, from the Public Service Commission of
Maryland, a copy of which shall be sent to the Commissioner of Motor
Vehicles before said schedule is changed, whereupon a proper readjust-
ment of charges shall be made upon the basis aforesaid. But nothing in
this sub-title shall be construed to prevent an owner or operator of such
regularly licensed vehicles from replacing in an emergency such vehicles
by a substitute vehicle in order to maintain the schedule approved as here-
in. provided or in an emergency from operating, temporarily, reserve
vehicles on such routes and schedules, approved as aforesaid for the public
accommodation. In cases where certificates have been issued to such motor
vehicle owner for more than one route, all motor vehicles having the same
number of passenger seats, including reserve or substitute vehicles, which
have been registered for use upon either or any of said routes, may be used
interchangeably upon either or any of said routes. The operations upon
any route may be conducted with greater frequency than prescribed by the
approved schedule without obtaining permission therefor from the Public
Service Commission, provided, however, that the approved schedule shall
be strictly maintained and adhered to, until changed with the permission
of the Public Service Commission, and provided further, that whenever
the operations conducted are in excess of those prescribed by the approved
schedule, the motor vehicle owner shall report to the Public Service Com-
mission, on or before the fifth business day of the succeeding month, the
actual number of miles traveled, and the license number of the motor
vehicles operated upon each route for the preceding calendar month, and
shall, at the same time send a duplicate of said report to the Commissioner
of Motor Vehicles and. pay to the said Commissioner the difference be-
tween the fee charged on the basis of the approved schedule and the fee
chargeable upon the basis of the actual number of seat-miles traveled; and
provided, further, whenever, in the opinion of the Public Service Com-
mission, it will be prejudicial to the public welfare and convenience, to
permit operations to be conducted upon any route with greater frequency
than prescribed by the approved schedule, said Commission may limit this
privilege in whatever manner it may deem proper or deny the said privi-
lege altogether, either at the time of the issuance of the permit or at any
time thereafter. Seasonal permits may be granted for a portion of the
year, if, in the judgment of the Public Service Commission, the granting
thereof is deemed essential to the public welfare and convenience, and
routes may be changed or abandoned, whenever, in the opinion of the
Public Service Commission, the welfare and convenience of the public will
not be prejudiced thereby. In the event any such motor vehicle owner shall
fail to report excess mileage and other information, as above provided, or
shall change or abandon a route or reduce a schedule, without first obtain-