Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-12-03
STREET CAR PASS
SYSTEM IN FORCE;
5000 PURCHASED
Traction Business Appears
Improved First Two Days
Under Merger.
COMMISSION STUDYING
SERVICE ALTERATIONS
Suburban Station" Plan Is Among
Several Radical Changes I'm
der Consideration.

For the first time under merged OPP
erations, riders Of the washington
street car and bus system today we're
using passes good for a week and cost
ing 81 or SIPS. Officials of the Capt.
tai Transit Co. reported that 5000 OF
the passes had been sold Friday, but
at later hour last night no count was
possible Of those sold yesterday.
Although the street car business dur
ing the first two days under merged
operations appeared to have resulted in
a substantial pickup in passengers, it
will be impossible to obtain accurate
figures until tomorrow, It was said.
street car business in october and No
vember, however was better than in
the same months Of 1892, and it will
be difficult to tell how much of the
change Is due to improved conditions
generally and how much to the greater
ease and cheapneSs Of riding under
merged operations.
Tickets Transferable.
The tickets now in the hands Of Gus
toners for the week Of December 3 to
ONSNAAbNA o hAC u dllSACl Ally OIle
may be used by any number of persons
This Is expected to encourage street car
riding during the non-rush hour pc
RODS.
Street car officials believe that those
who buy them for regular trips to and
from the Office will use them for add
tlonal trips. to moving picture shows
trips to the grocery and for sending
servants and others out on messages
The SIPS pass entities the rider to
use OF the street car system and its
affiliated bus systems. except for the
Chevy Chase coach line and the Haines
Point bus line. The 81 pass Is limited
TO the street cars and to buses on
which the fare is 7l2 cents.
Commission Begins Study.
Meanwhile the Public Utilities Com
mission has started a comprehensive
study not only of what changes in routes
OF the bus and street car lines Of the
Capital Transit Co. may be effected in
the next month or two. but also Of much
more radical" changes in the system
which might be considered in the more
distant future. 1t was revealed last night.
Three tentative plans for mass trans
portat1on, any one Of which would be
distinct innovation in the District. 1t
was said, are now involved In the
study.
One official said by the very nature
OF the plans they could not be invoked
for considerable time. even If one Of
them met with official approval and
the consent Of the company.
Mass Of Data Collected.
These plans. however. it was learned,
are being kept in mind as a mass of
information as to the needs of resi-
dents in various sections Of the city,
traffic congestion. equipment and other
data IS being collected:
l. Adoption Of an out-and-out zone
system of fares, under which the
charges for transportation would be
measured by the distance travelled SUBJ
ject to a number of definite zones.
This has been tried out in many cities.
2. Adoption of what is called sub
urban station" system. under which
certain lines would be used only for high
speed transit, to and from certain SUBJ
urban points of congestion Of patrons.
These loading points would be fed pas
sengers from surrounding areas by
feeder bus lines. Along the routes Of
the high-speed express street car lines
there would be supplementary local"
service bus lines. A higher charge
would be made for travel on the high
speed street cars than on the feeder"
bus lines or the supplementary bus lines
paralleling the express street car lines.
8. Adoption Of an infinite unit"
zone-fare system This is much more
detailed use of the zone-fare system.
much more complicated system being
necessary for the fixing of charges for
q measured distance, according 10 In.
terested officials.
Adoption Soon Unlikely.
officials who are engaged in study
ing the matter say 1t is very unlikely
that any of these three suggestions will
be adopted in the near future.
William A. Roberts, of counsel to the
Utilities Commission, however, believes
there is great merit In the plan for the
suburban stations Speed Is one of
the principal determining factors in sat-
isfactory mass transportation, he de-
clares. This system would put a pre-
MUM on speedy transit, he points out.
1t appears most likely that numer-
GUS changes in the routes of the pres
ent street car and bus lines of the Cap
ital Transit Co. will be the first step in
moves to speed up the service. A pub
lie hearing Is to be held February 5,
before the commission on the question
OF routes and other matters.