Evening star., 1938-09-20
COMMUTER FARE
MAY Be DROPPED
!. c. c. Examiner Favors
Action by Southern in
95-MiIe Radius.

Cancellation Of Communication ticket,
between Washington and points with
In s5-mile radius in Virginia was rec
commended today for the Southern
Railway Co. by an Interstate Commerce
Commission examiner, over protests OF
residents on the routes affected.
The recommendation, subject to re-
view by commissioner, would put the
regular 2-cent-a-mile rate into effect
prices were considerably below the
2-cent rate. The raise in some in
stances is 240 per cent.
The new schedule. filed to become
effective July l. 1898, was suspended
until February /, 1899, when protests
were entered by the commuters af-
fected. Those using the monthly and
quarterly tickets are located in Spring.
field. Burke, Sideburn, Fairfax, Clifton,
Manassas, Bristow. Nokesville and
Ravensworth. Collectively about 42o
individuals are signatories to the pro-
tests entered with the I. c. c.
II Witnesses Protest.
At the hearing II witnesses voiced
their protest against the proposed can
collation.. OF those, IA are Federal
employees. Trains used by the pur-
chasers of the combinations are three
cars each and are operated between
Charlottesville and Washington. a dis
tance of 1872 miles.
or 373 tickets sold last year, 353
we're for the nine protesting stations
and represented 30024 trips produc-
ing revenue of $6373l7, the exam
lner's report said.
The Southern claimed that the reve-
nue. derived from the Communication
tickets, regular fares and mail was far
below operation COSTS The railroad
claimed loss Of $12,002.75 during the
rst three months of this year for the
lines affected by the examiners report
The railroad pointed out that its
total revenue last year was $40 400 ass
excluding Communication fares, which
amounted to $500, including the
s6,37l from travel of the Washington
commuters. The company said, based
on 1887 figures, that at the regular
2-cent rate would pay $l7,756, as COM
pared with $6,655 actually paid last
year.
The proposed cancellation of these
commutation tickets is but a prelim-
mary to withdrawal of the three trains
because OF lack of passengers. and is
an additional step in an effort by
respondent during period of years
10 adjust passenger fares and over
come uneconomical operations" the
examiner said.
Inc passenger traffic manager at
tne nearing testified that with in
creased improved highways, better bus
schedules and greater use of private
automobiles, local tariff over the
southern has practically vanished, and
WIN 1t, commuter travel"
Reduction Not Justified.
In behalf Of the protesting COM
muters, the examiner said that as
they use trains at least twice daily
they are due special consideration in
rates, but that in this case the traffic
does not justify the continued reduce
tion.
If the operation and time schedules
OF other trains of the Southern was
so adjusted as to make such trains
available for use by these commuters.
there would, upon the record, be no
JUSTIFICATION for the proposed cancela-
ton OF these communication fares.
THE operation of passenger trains
with respect to time schedules, the
stopping for and letting off of pass
engers, is matter over which the
commission has no jurisdiction, but
one over which the carrier has man.
agerial discretion, which it is assumed
respondent will wisely exercise
The issue In this proceeding relates
only to fares and not to operation of
trains.
The commission should find that
the proposed cancellation of the COM
mutation fares is justified. The order
of suspension should be vacated and
the proceeding discontinued" the ex-
aminer said.