Evening star., 1933-03-16
TEST OF FWE-CENT
FARE EPROPOSED0N .
SHORT CAR LINES.
Public Utilities Commission
Urges Plan on Both Trac-
ton Companies.
MEMORANDUM DRAFTED
FOR ADOPTING SYSTEM
Gen. Patrick Favors Action to See
Whether Patronage Will
Increase.

Adoption of a scent fare fer trial
period on number of street car lines
making short trips was suggested to the
Capital Traction Co. and the Washing
ton Railway g. Electric Co. today by
the Public Utilities Commission.
The proposal is move designed to
increase the use of street cars, which
has been dwindling in recent years due
to competition of private automobiles.
the flood of cheap taxicabs, popular use
of the busses and other causes.
While not acting formally en- the
Scent fare plan at its meeting today,
the Utilities Commission drafted a
memorandum suggesting the car COM
panies adopt such system during nom
rush hours on short-haul lines which
operate within radius of about two
miles from the downtown section.
Gen. Patrick Explains.
Maj. Gen. Mason M Patrick, chair
man of the commission, gave the fol-
lowing explanation of the proposal
In view of the present economic situ-
alton, the Public Utilities Commission
has been making study of the posi-
bility of affording some relief by lower
street railway fares. The vice chair
man of the commission has given a
great deal of thought to this matter
and has suggested the possibility of
scent fare on short haulS, such as
there are on both street railway lines
where loops, or turnbacks, are in ex-
istence within two-mile radius of the
downtown district, Fifteenth street and
New York avenue. For example, CAL
vert Street Bridge to Peace Monument,
or to Seventh street and Pennsylvania
avenue, or from Mount Pleasant to the
Library of Congress.
While there are evident difficulties
in the application Of mixed fare
system in Washington, it is possible that
1t may be worth trying experimentally.
The idea would be to intersperse these
Scent fare cars among the regular fare
cars in such way as not to interfere
with the. schedules now in force and
to try this system for an experimental
period OF course, the scent fare cars
would carry signs enabling them to be
readily distinguished.
COMPENSATION Possible.
Short routes with scent fare,
with a higher fare on the through
cars, would allow these latter to be
operated without picking up so many
short-haul passengers and while there
might be loss of revenue on the
through lines, 1t is possible that 1t would
be compensated for in part by reducing
the through service and also by an In
crease in the number of riders on the
short haul lower fare cars.
IF, after a trial of this system dur
the non-rush hours, it proved to be
renumerative. it might be extended
temporarily and experimentally during
the rush hours on similar short-routed
service"
Last September somewhat similar
suggestion was offered by Richmond B.
Keech, peoples counsel, who proposed
short and long routes, to be applied
generally to the transportation sys-
TENS. Since then the commission has
been studying the matter.
Riley E. Elgen, vice chairman of the
Utilities Commission, said he believes
the proposed reduction would be a
worthwhile experiment in the interest
of the companies as well as the riders.
Adoption of such a plan would be up
to the car companies as the proposal
now stands. If the commission were
to order the companies to place such
a plan in operation, it Is explained, 1t
would be necessary to show possibilities
of compensatory result to the COM
panies
The present rate of fare is four tok-
ems for 80 cents. or fiat single fare
charge of 10 cents.
Differs From Zone System.
The tentative plan advanced today is
not to be confused with earlier sug-
gestionS for a zone" fare system, un-
der which a low rate was proposed for
all transportation within first limited
area, and additional charges to points
farther out
Other indications of the possibilities
OF the system are seen in the fact the
commission has authority to order re-
routing of car lines, and, therefore,
might find it advisable later to insti-
tute more short-haul lines.
Service on the Fourteenth street line
of the Washington Railway & Electric
Co. is to be speeded up under an order
issued by the commission.
The headway between the cars on
that line is to be reduced from II min
utes to 10 minutes, in the new schedule
The commission also granted the
company permission to slightly reduce
schedules on three other lines. The
Maryland line now will operate with 4
headway of 7l2 minutes instead Of 6.
Corresponding reductions in time
schedules also were ordered for the
Eleventh treet-Anacostia line
The old tracks on Water street south
west, east of Fourteenth street, which
had been used by the North Capitol
Wharves car line, are to be abandoned
and the old service replaced by the use
Of busses.