Evening star., 1935-12-22
ORDERS TO BETTER
TRANSIT SERVICE.
Due THIS WEEK.
Recruiting of Bus Lines and
Reducing Number of
Stops Predicted.
CLEANER EQUIPMENT
ALSO TO BE SOUGHT
Criticism During Hearings Cause
of Anticipated Action by
Utilities Commission.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.


An unprecedented series Of orders
designed to improve street car and
motor bus service here is scheduled to
be issued by the Public Utilities Com
mission this week as a direct outgroWth
of it's uncompleted public hearings on
a mass of complaints against the Capt.
tai Transit Co.
Although the hearings will not be re-
sumed until January 2, the commission
has planned to spend the holiday
season turning out specific instructions
to the transit company to reroute Ger
tain bus lines, abolish number Of
unnecessary car and bus stops, clean
up its equipment and properly mer-
chandise its service.
Riley E. Elgen. chairman Of the
commission, announced last night
further complaints against the transit
company would not be necessary to
bring forth immediate action. The
avalanche of criticism during the first
week of the hearings furnished the
commission with enough ammunition
to start the battle it proposes to make
in the interest of better public trans
portation.
Bus-LOading Order Due.
The first order which the commits
sion is expected to issue at sched-
uled meeting tomorrow at 2 pm. will
place limit on the number of pas
sengers that may stand in various types
of buses. Overlooking of busses was
one of the principal criticism of sew
eral score of civic representatives who
already have testified.
Another expected order will direct
partial rerouting of the Chevy Chase
bus line so it will provide service to
the business area in the vicinity of
Eighteenth street and Columbia road.
Plans contemplate requiring a certain
number Of the busses to run over the
Calvert Street Bridge to Eighteenth
street and Columbia road, and thence
on Eighteenth street to Connecticut
avenue, rejoining the present route.
The commission has just completed an
extensive survey of car and bus stops
and found some that could be elm
mated without inconveniencing riders.
These probably will be abolished as a
means of speeding up service. At the
same time, however, other stops will
be changed to make them more con-
Venient.
The commission also, in connection
with its plans to expedite movement of
cars and busses, probably will renew
its appeal to police and traffic author
tiles to keep the arteries they travel
as free as possible from private motor
vehicles.
Sanitary Regulations.
In addition, the transit company is
expected to be called on strictly to
observe the commissions sanitary
regulations with respect to its equip
ment. These regulations require that
cars and buSses be swept and cleaned
at least once a day, and that all floors,
windows and interior woodwork be
washed at least once a week with an
antiseptic solution.
Numerous complaints were made
during the hearings about the insani-
tary condition of cars and buses.
Some of the witnesses criticized the
ventilation. The commission, however,
is making tests, in conjunction with
the District Health Department, to de-
termine if the air in the cars and
buSses meets the required standards
for public health and comfort.
Chairman Elgen said the commits
sion also would SURVEY it's existing
service regulations to ascertain where
in they could be made more applicable
to the present situation, and predicted
that a serious study would be made of
the proposals for construction of SUBJ
ways in the congested business section
to carry the company's rail lines.
i am in accord with any plan that
will aid transportation, said Elgen.
II feel the commission should ioin
with the District Commissioners in
urging Congress to appropriate an ade-
quate sum to determine the feasibility
and practicability of subway con-
struction.
THAT study should be participated
IN by competent engineers as well
as the commission because of its in
tense interest in public transportation,
(see TRANSIT, Page B-2.)