THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 693

304. It shall be the duty of the Public Service Commis-
sion of Maryland, upon the application of any motor
vehicle owner for a permit to operate any motor vehicle
for the public transportation of passengers over any speci-
fied route, to investigate the expediency of granting said
permit; the number of motor vehicles to be used, and the
rate to be charged, and if, in the judgment of the Public
Service Commission, it is deemed best for public welfare
and convenience that said permit should be granted, said
Public Service Commission is hereby empowered and
authorized to grant such permit subject to such reasonable
conditions and terms, and for such duration of time, not
exceeding the period of twenty years, as it may deem
advisable, provided, however, that permits to operate over
the streets of the City of Baltimore shall not be granted
for periods in excess of one year, except as hereinafter
provided; and provided further, that if the applicant is
directly, or is a subsidiary of a company, engaged in fur-
nishing mass transportation In any incorporated munici-
pality in the State of Maryland, by means of electric trolley
cars, and operates or desires to operate motor vehicles,
other than taxicabs, in connection with or as a service
supplementary to a service by trolley cars, the Public
Service Commission may grant such permits for a period
not exceeding: twenty-five years, except that a permit may
be granted for a longer period where application is made
for a permit to operate a motor vehicle or motor vehicles
in substitution for the whole or any part of an electric
trolley car franchise, easement or right-of-way originally
granted by local authority or otherwise acquired for a
duration longer than twenty-five years, in which event,
upon the proposed abandonment or surrender of the whole
or any part of such franchise, easement or right-of-way
for the operation of electric trolley cars, the Public Service
Commission is authorized and empowered to grant the
permit or permits so applied for for the same duration as
the franchise, easement or right-of-way which, or any part
of which, is so abandoned, or surrendered; provided, how-
ever, that whenever a permit or permits are so granted
[for a period or periods longer than one year], the service
rendered under such permit or permits may not be dis-
continued without the consent of the Public Service Com-
mission, event EVEN though such permit or permits may
expire as of a certain date under the terms thereof. But if
said Public Service Commission deems the granting of such
permit prejudicial to the welfare and convenience of the
public, then the said Public Service Commission is hereby