Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-09-25
5 CENT TROLLEY FARE
TO COMPETE WITH BUS
LINES IS SUGGESTED
BY State Utility Board in Mes
sage to Public Service
Street Railway Company
TO INCREASE REVENUE
Buses Will be Regulated I'm
der Plan to Make for Fair
er Competition

TRENTON. Sept. 25.-The Publio
Utility Commission today suggested
to the Public Service Railway Com
pany that 1t try a five-cent fare for
a period Of four months in the popu-
ious cities of the state to determine
whether it would or would not pro-
duce sufficient revenue. The plan
provides the higher rate of eight
cents for the less popuIous centers.
The Utility Commission proposed
to the Public Service Railway Com
pany that instead of a flat 10-cenf
fare, with free transfers, It charge
five cents. with no transfers, on its
trolley lines within the larger mu-
inequalities, with an additional tive
cents for rides to the existing fare
limits.
Elsewhere in the state the pres
ent fare schedule would prevail dur
ing four months test of the ofilossnf
OF revenue the company would re-
ceive. The board also promises to
strict competition to an extent con-
sistent with adequate service. The
company had applied for ten cent
fare on its lines.
Argument also was started in the
United States Court here today on
the report submitted By Special
Master Haight in the companv's
tight for a rate of fare greater than
seven cents with two cents for
transfer.
In making the suggestion Of the
fve-cent fare in the cities served
by the trolley company the commits
sion said:
The commission appreciates the
fact that the conditions under which
the company is now operating make
increased operation costs inevitable.
Whether such an increase (tc
ten cents) would meet the situation
Is open to serious question. This
commission has, in the past,
decided against an application for a
ten-cent fare. 1t feels that it should
not approve such a fare unless il
appears, upon further hearing, that
this is necessary TO meet existing
conditions.
The commission agreed that bus
competition should be restricted to
an extent consistent with adequate
service" and that it would assist
in bringing about this result. with
in the scope of its authority ..
The commission said that in its
judgment the time had not arrived
when the trolley could be dispensed
with.
In suggesting the five-cent fare
within cities, the commission said.
| 1t felt ''this would place the company
on q moral equal basis in meeting
the competition Of the buses and at
the same time furnish the public
transportation at a fair rate"
The commission further said that
If the company insisted upon a ten
cent fare directors must be given op-
portunity to be heard. It then
pointed out that extensive rate
hearings in the past have cost the
state many thousands of dollars and
have resulted in protracted htiga-
ton" To avoid further litigation
and expense the commission then
made its five-cent fare suggetion.
with a continuation of the present
eight-cent fare throughout the resi-
of the state for the time being.
The commission suggests that this
be put into schedule form for its
approval by the Public Utility Com
mission and then, if adopted. to re-
main in force four months for trial
in order to determine If it win pro-
vide the revenue necessary.
(Continued on page 2.