Evening star., 1936-07-05
ROBERTS PLEDGES
FINISH FIGHT ON
CROWDED BUSES
Elimination of Small Type of
Carrier Alternative, Coun.
sci Asserts.
FIVE MORE CASES READY
IF CURRENT ONE LOSES
Names of Specific Witnesses to
Violation of Commission Or
der Are Offered.

A finish fight to relieve congestion
on the bus lines of the city or to elm
mate the smaller vehicles on crowded
routes was promised yesterday by Will
liam A. Roberts, peoples counsel OF
the District.
Roberts last week filed charges
against the Capital Transit Co., and
demanded that the Public Utilities
Commission take action under the
penalty clause of the utilities act to
punish the company for permitting
small bus on the Massachusetts, ave
nue. line to carry more persons than
permitted under its rules issued last
April.
In making the charges. Roberts Of
fered to supply the names of respon-
sible witnesses to the specific violation
he charged, but later added that wit
nesses also can be produced to sub
stantiate charges of violation on other
lines.
"One specific violation" he said. "is
enough to make out the peoples case,
and we expect to establish it. If that
fails then we will proceed in other
cases"
Five Charges for Trial.
Roberts asserted that his office can
and will make five charges for trial
If this first one fails, and then IF
that five fails, we'll try five more"
Under the penalties provisions of
. the law. the Public Utilities Commis-
sion will have to take action in
civil court. Conviction will mean
penalty of 5000 for each offense of
violating a commission order.
The order involved fixed the limits
for each type and size bus used by
the company, all of which are based
on safety. The range Of limits per-
mits only % passengers on a bus with
II seats, the smallest owned By the
company. and allows "A on bus with
A seats. -. -
In addition, the company is re-
ouired to paint white line in the
front of the bus beyond which no
passenger can stand. This is intended
to prevent obstruction of the drivers
view.
Limit Must Be Posted.
A third provision requires that the
load limit be posted on a placard so
that passengers will know just how
many persons will be permitted to
stand after the seats are all occu-
pied.
This case charges that 80 passen-
gers we're allowed to ride bus with a
limit of 81 passengers" Roberts ex-
planned. land they were in the ve-
hicle for most of the route.
I'm the first place, the bus is too
small for service on that route. In
the second place, passengers were per-
nitted to enter after the driver knew
the limit had been reached. In the
third place, witnesses will testify, four
Of the excess passengers stood beyond
the white safety line"
Takoma Park Complaints.
The peoples counsel also said he has
received complaints of similar viola
tions from patrons of the Takoma
Park express line, the P street line.
especially On its east end; the Fourth
street line and the Anacostia line.
He declined to identify the witnesses
he expects to introduce, explaining
that there may be means "to get to
people" who complain against the
transit company.
That's one reason why many legit-
innate complainants won't come to me-
They know they may be intimidated
for taking any action whatever"
While Roberts was explaining his
plans to push the case, bus rider
interrupted to say:
I've heard the drivers tell people.
Z don't think I can take you,' but the
people kept coming right in"
In the absence of H. D. Folsom,
assistant corporation counsel who acts
as counsel for the Public Utilities
Commission, Roberts has offered his
services in prosecuting the case.
Richmond B. Keech, acting chair
man of the commission, has already
referred the case to Fred A. Sager,
chief engineer, for investigation and
Roberts has supplied him with the
names of the witnesses Action prob
ably will be taken within the next
few days, 1t was indicated at the
District Building.