Evening star., 1935-10-17
CHASE BUS
SERVICE DEBATED
Citizens Complain of Over
crowding and Poor Ven.
tiIation at Meeting.

An open forum discussion on mass
transportation was held last night at
the meeting of the Chevy Chase Citi-
zens' Association, with the result that
a list Uf suggestions for improving the
service on the new Chevy Chase bus
line were approved by the association
and will be sent to the Capital Trac-
ton Co., and to the Public Utilities
Commission for study.
The majority Of complaints against
the bus service were in regard to over
crowding, infrequent schedules and
poor ventilation. E. s. Pardoe, an
official Of the Capital Transit Co., who
attended the meeting, stated that the
problem of bus schedules was being
studied, and. that some adjustment
would be made soon and q folder pub
lished containing information as to
rates and schedules, which is expected
TO decrease confusion.
Elgen Announces Study.
Riley E. Elgen, chairman of the
Public Utilities Commission, was also
present at the meeting and announced
that he was making study of bus
ventilation problems and had had
correspondence with several ventila-
ton experts on the subject. He said
that no system had yet been worked
out that was wholly satisfactory, but
that improvements were constantly
being made, and that Washington had
as h'el a standard for busses as any
city in the United States.
An accusation that the transit COM
pany was running many Of the express
and coach buses on the line and only
a few of local busses in an effort to
make patrons use the more expensive
service, emphatically was denied by
Pardoe. He stated that since the new
bus line went into operation his COM
pany has decreased the number of
coach buses. and had also taken of
several of the express busses that
originally were put in operation. In
answer to another criticism that the
express buses could not be distin-
guished from the local buses, he an
nounced that the Capital Transit Co.
had experimental with several differ
ent types of markers and that soon
all express busses would be so marked.
Urge Special Service.
Other suggestions included in the
list were that there be a special rush.
hour service from the Bureau of Stand
ards, that express busses start at 7:45
am instead of 8 am. as at present,
that a study be made to determine
whether or not some busses on the
Nebraska avenue loop could be routed
downtown to eliminate transfers, a
study of stops to determine the best
locations to serve the maximum num-
Der of patrons, and that the drivers
Of buses be trained to make opera
tions smoother and safer. It was also
suggested that parking be eliminated
on Connecticut avenue so that all
vehicular tranic could move more
rapidly.
Elgen announced that in the one
month the bus line has been IN
operation the patronage has increased
at least rs per cent over the previous
street car patronage, and the number
of patrons on the de luxe line in the
morning has decreased from 500 to
200.
Urge Playground.
A resolution was passed by the as
sociation asking that q public play
ground be constructed on publicly
owned property in the vicinity Of the
Lafayette School George e. Strong,
a member of the City-wide Play
ground Council, stated that the Chevy
Chase area was the most neglected
section In town in regard to play
grounds. He said that in the past
year over $50 new homes had been
built near the Lafayette School. and
that children from these homes had
to cross Connecticut avenue and
travel nearly a mile to get to the
nearest playground.
The associations Executive Com
mitteee was given power to assist
the Connecticut Avenue Citizens As
sociation to reorganize and obtain
new members. Such new members
gained in q proposed drive will be