Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-04-14
MOTOR CARRIERS
COMMERCIAL ZONE
ACTION IMPENDING
|. c. c. Order for District
Gets Ruling by Tomor-
row Midnight.
OBJECTIONS MAY STAY
ORDER OF COMMISSION
tAlEapdria, Arlington and Parts
.sof Montgomery and Prince
Georges Included in Area.

With definite action due by tomor-
row midnight on the proposed order
of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion establishing commercial zone in
the District and adjacent Maryland
and Virginia for administration of the
motor carrier act, there still was
doubt today as to what might be
expected
Objections from any of the inter-
ested parties in the proceedings would
act to stay the order, or the commits
sion might of its own accord defer
the effective date beyond the statutory
2o-day period now expiring, but there
has been no indication of q move
from either direction.
Under the proposed order, drawn by
Examiner Paul Coyle March 26, after
hearing, this zone for Washington
would include Alexandria and Ar
hngton County in Virginia, and an
area within a radius, roughly, of
to 10 miles from the Zero Milestone
into Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties, Md.
Exempt From Rate Fixing.
Within this area, common and con-
tract truck and bus operations,
though actually interstate in char
acter, would be subject only to the
safety and employe-hours-of service
rNrnyviciOre af
and would be exempt from the rate
fixing sections that apply to interstate
traffic generally.
These zones are to be created. under
the act, in metropolitan districts all
over the country, where the ordinary
| commerce of community cuts across
a State line, being intended TO free
what might be described as an intra-
| terminal movement from broad Fed
eral regulations.
In some quarters there was a feel
ing the commission might itself sus-
pend the order, pending a determina-
ton In similar cases before it. The
! commission has conducted zone pro-
ceedings in New York, Philadelphia,
/ Chicago, st. Louis and Los Angeles
! (the issue arose in the last-named
because of land-water commerce). In
| deciding these, which are more COM
pick than the local case, because of
the volume of business involved,
precedents were anticipated that
would serve as guides for the future.
Witnesses, ViauS nifYar
Witnesses before Examiner Coyle
differed widely in their views as to
the limits to be placed on the exempt
zone, the Corporation Commission of
| Virginia and District of Columbia
Trucking Association, for example,
wanting it to conform to the District
lines, while local merchants, served
by contract haulers, asked a 20-mile
radius. The Capital Transit Co
sought exemption for bus operations
as distant as Laurel, Gaithersburg and
Mount Vernon, but it was said at
the company's Offices today that nc
exceptions were being filed.
If the order goes into effect, those
common carriers who were operating
prior to June j, 1885, and contract
carriers operating prior to July /, 1885
but who did not file applications under
the motor carrier act, must discon-
tinue activities until applications are
filed if they go outside Of the zone.
Those not operating before those
dates, and who have not filed applica-
lions, would be required to make ap-
plication and justify their right td
operate, in the meantime suspending
service.
All common carriers must file fixed
| tariffs with the commission and
contract carriers their schedule Of
minimum charges.