Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-08-01
TRIAL Of PART
Of ZONE PLAN
To BE ALLOWED D
Public Utility Board In Report
Today Makes Recommen-
datlon---to Be Opposed
sy Special Correspondent.

TRENTON, Aug. declaring
that trial of one of the plans
proposed by the Public Service
Railway Company for zoning its
systems of fares will be helpful
in the final determination Of the
fare zone question, the Board of
Public Utility Commission today
fled a report permitting the com
pany to put into effect September
IA next proposition number three
of the trio recently submitted as
alternative suggestions to be con-
sidered by the Utility Board in
deciding the fare question. Prop
osition three is as follows:
Three cents for the first zonen
mile and two cents for each mile
thereafter without transfers.
The new rate Is not to apply to pas
sengers riding only within the limits
of the following zones: Between Edge
water Ferry and Grantwood juno
ton: between Edgewater Ferry and
Bluff Road: and between Harrison
and Eagle Beck avenues and Noun
tain avenue and Murray street on the
Eagle Beck Line, West Orange.
Children Free.
Childrap r1ndar the 400 ne Gnvpn
when accompanied by an adult will be
carried free; the conditions govern
Ing the issuance of school tickets will
remain In force: the present super
imposed service will be continued and
continuation tickets" are to be re-
tanned wherever now effective.
In deciding to put into or etion
proposition number three of the Pub
lie Service, the Utility Board says 1t
believes that the criticism of the mu-
inequalities to the effect that the base
charge or first zone fare is too high
has much merit. The first proposition
fixed cents as the base and the Sec
ond cents with q cents for each zone
thereafter. In this connection the re-
port of the Board said today:
1t is the intention of the Utility
Board to make the operation of pro-
position three test of the coming
system of fares and the results will
be used as evidence in the pending
proceeding before the Utility Com
mission involving thes rates to be
charged by the Public Service on its
lines throughout the state.
Given Until August Is
The Public Service is given until
August is to accept the decision to-
day, and 1t must also agree to cer-
tain conditions, such as the making
of monthly reports of the results of
the operation of the zoning plan.
The board retains the right to abro-
gate this decision as and when con-
ditions warrant.
'It is to the public interest that
riding be encouraged rather than dis
couraged 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 ultt-
mately decrease fares"
The foregoing is the reason, there
fore. which guided the Board to de-
eide to put the third proposition into
effect. inasmuch as its basic rate is the
lowest, three cents for the first mile
However, as provision is made 10
transfers, which in the other two in
stances could be issued upon the pay
4aen& of an additional cent. Under
proposition number three the rider
must pay an additional three cents
in the first zone when he comes to his
point of transfer in order to ride FUR
ther.
Because of the novelty of the plan
to be made effective" says the de-
cision of the board there is q pos
sibility, of the necessity for the adjust
ment Of the transfer points and heavy
loading points. The board reserves
the right, without formal order, from
time to time as these adjustments be
come necessary to require such ad-
iustments of transfer points and
heavy loading points SO as to make
transfer points and heavy loading
points coincidefit with the zone
limits
The coming system which is to go
into effect in September will supplant
the present seven cent fare with an
additional cent for a transfer now
being charged by the Public Service.
The new system will yield the PUP
lie Service Company million doliars
a year more than 1t Is receiving now
under a seven cent fair and one cent
for each transfer, 1t is estimated IN
various quarters.
The League of New Jersey Munici-
palities has made it konwn that Il
will not accept the system proposed
because of the mo transfer" figure
and may contest the decision in court
The League favors the cent and nan
for each additional zone mile after the
first instead of two cents.