Evening star., 1935-12-23
BUSES AND CARS
LIMITED IN LOADS
BY 4 NEW ORDERS
Public Utilities Commission
Drafts Regulations to
Aid StraphangerS.
LINE OF DEMARCATI0N
TO HELP DRIVERS SEE
Rate Cards Must Be Posted and
Maps Displayed to Show
Connecting Routes.

-Four orders were to be issued today
by the Public Utilities Commission in
an effort to improve the service Of
the Capital Transit Co. The action
is an outgrowth of uncompleted hear
ings last week. in which several score
citizens complained of present mass
transportation facilities. The orders
provide:
That all street cars and busses carry
limited maxipHm number of pas
sengers, the limit to be posted con-
spicuously in the vehicle.
That all buSSeS be painted with a
safety line" in front of which pas
sengers will not be allowed to stand.
That all cars and buses post rate
signs, showing the fare to be paid.
That each bus and car carry a
route map showing its destination,
and also showing all connections with
other lines that may be made from
that particular vehicle.
Other Orders Expected.
Riley E. Elgen, chairman of the
commission, said the orders are in
preparation and would be issued be.
fore the end of business today. He
also said that at least three other
orders will be issued as an outgrowth
OF the hearings to date. In spite
Of the fact the present case is not
yet closed, he said, the orders will
touch on subjects that will require no
further testimony.
Among these are an order that will
require about half the busses on the
Chevy Chase line to continue across
the Calvert Street Bridge. down Eight
zenith street to Connecticut avenue,
where they will join the route of the
through buSSes. Local busses now
make the run from Chevy Chase Circle
to the Rock Greek loop. where they
connect with the street car line, and
then turn back.
Elgen said that to run a part Of
them on downtown would be a dis
tinct improvement and would help fill
some Of the buses that now reach the
end of the run without passengers.
Another order will concern a com.
plete revision of all bus and car stops,
embracing virtually all the city. A
third order would revise the Saturday
schedules so that rush-hour facilities
would be provided Immediately after
the Government departments close at
noon.
Studv Ts Mada
Fred A. Sager, chief engineer for
the commission, is now making q
study, which Elgen hopes will be COM
pleted by January IS, fixing the limits
of the number Of passengers to be
carried by the several types of buses
and street cars now in use.
Such limits, he said, will result in
faster service. for when the maxi
mum is reached, the motorman or
chauffeur will be required to proceed
without further stops. He will merely
post full car" sign on the entrance
doors. This will require. Elgen added,
the use of more equipment and o
change in schedules.
AT the same time, it was pointed
out, some Of the older equipment of
the company, especially narrow-aisle
buSses, will probably be given such
small limits as to be operated un-
profltably, and as result may be re.
tired from service.
The "safety-line" order, already in
voluntary use on the Takoma Park
buSSeS. is the result of numerous com.
plants that some buses are so over
loaded that the driver is unable to
see the right of way, especially the
approach Of other vehicles or pedes-
trians from the drivers right.
Buses Conform With Taxis.
The requirement for rate signs will
be the same as that now required
for all taxicabs. There are now in
force two token rates, two weekly
pass rates. l0-cent and 20-cent cash
rates. The new provision, it is believed,
will be especially helpful for passen.
gers W. do not use the routes regu.
larly.
The order requiring route maps and
connections is modelled after a prac-
tice now in use in Paris. 1t has been
advocated before the commission for
some time by its secretary, James
L. Martin, who asserted persons with
out detailed knowledge of the city
will be greatly helped in finding their
destinations.
Elgen said it is improbable that
the commission will make a recon-
mendation on the proposal of Peoples
Counsel William A. Roberts to have
municipal parking lots in the down.
town areas for the use of District
and Government employees.
Subway Study Funds Asked.
II don't believe that is within the
province Of the commission" Elgen
said. II believe such a plan might
bring more people to drive downtown
than we have now. That, of course,
would remove them from our mass
transportation problems"
Elgen also said the Public Utilities
Commission has Joined the District
Commissioners in a request for funds
to make a study of the practicability
of subways for the Capital. He does
not, however, believe subways the an
swer to the Districts transportation
problem and feels that experienced
and competent engineers should con-
duct the survey and study.
All Of the orders issued today are
expected to be in force sometime in
January. The others Elgen discussed
probably will be issued between
Christmas and the first of the year.