The sun., 1919-08-02
THREE CENT ZONE
RATE FOR JERSEY
Utilities Board Acts on Plea
of Cities That This Charge
Is Sufficient.

AoSschberS Oh every trOliey llne Oh inc
Public Service Railway Company. which
operates in about $50 municipalities In
thirteen of the twenty-one counties of
New Jersey. will have to pay their fares
by mile zones after September ~. A
charge of cents will be made for the
| first mile and CENTS additional for
every mile or part of a mile thereafter.
No transfers will be issued.
Authority to put the new fare system
into effect was granted to the company
yesterday by the New Jersey Board of
Public Utility Commissioners. The de-
cision, which was tentative, was made on
the company's application for the zone
fare system Of charges for an indefinite
time. The board reserved the right to
make adjustments in the system II it
found it advisable.
The boards decision was made neces-
sary because of President Thomas N. Nc
Carriers declaration that immediate
| financial relief was needed IL the COM
pany was to continue to serve at its pres
ent efficiency after September II. and
| also to furnish a practical demonstration
Of the zone system.
Some of the points OF the BOARDS de-
cision are:s - 81 N--fea 30
Three cents for a ride within a zone
| mile in which the passenger boards a
| zone car.
Two cents for ride in each additional
zone mile or part thereof traversed on
the same car
No transfers will be given or sold.
The new rate ordered by the commission
| repeats all other rates
Children under the age OF years,
| when accompanied by an adult paying
fare. shall be carried free.
| School tickets shall be issued at the
same rates and under the same con-
ditions as now issued.
Where superiInposed service IL now in
operation It shall be continued so as to
avoid the necessity of riders passing from
one car to another. This means that cars
running over other lines than their own
| during rush hours to accommodate work.
ers will be continued. Continuation tick
cts are to be retained in use wherever
( now effective.
On the Fast Line running between
Newark and Trenton passengers will pay
| the zone fare when riding over the tracks
or the Public Service Company and the
present rate of fare on the private right
of way of the Public Service Railroad
| Company.
| The zone fare will be paid on Fast
Line trolleys from the terminal In New
ark to Bayway. Elizabeth. From that
point to Bonhamtown. Middlesex county,
the present rate will remain. The zone
1 fare will again be in effect from Bon
hamtown through New Brunswick to
Midtown and from the latter place to
the outskirts of Trenton the present rate
will apply.
There is a possibility of the neces-
sity for the adjustment of the transfer
points and heavy loading points" reads
| the decision. THE board reserves the
right without formal order. from time to
time as these adjustments become neces-
| sary, to require such adjustments of
| transfer points and heavy loading
points as TO make them coincident with
the zone limits
| Referring to its selection of the 3
cent first mile rate In preference to either
! of the other two before It, the board
decision says:
THE trial of one of the proposed plans
/ with such modification as at present APP
pears to us to be necessary will be help
full in the final determination of the feas-
fbility OF the plan to be adopted or of
any other plan growing out thereof. 1t
thus becomes a matter for the board to
determine which Of the PROPOSED zone
schedules 1t should adopt.
/ "The board Is impressed with the con-
tention of the municipalities that a 8
cent charge for the initial mile Is sum-
cient Their criticism of the proposed
| charge (the company's plea for n 8
cent initial charge) for the FIRST zone
mile has much merit.
1T is to the public interest that rid
ing be encouraged rather than discour-
! aged, because the loss OF each rider
must necessarily increase the charge to
! the other patrons of the company. The
establishment OF a lower base charge
will undoubtedly tend to increase riding
on the cars OF the company. Increasing
the riding habit will have the tendency
to ultimately decrease fares"
! Steps have already been taken by the
Public Service Company for the install
lation OF the zone fare system Within
a month temporary apparatus needed TO
operate under the new fare collecting
method will be available Signs show
! ing the zone number every mile along
each of the company's lines are ordered.
! The permanent equipment needed win
| cost thousands Of dollars and will not
be ready for some time.