Evening star., 1942-01-17
Hearing Dates
SET for Three
Transit Issues
Sole Of 3 Tokens,
Express Buses and
Routing to Come Up

Formal hearings on three cOntro-
versial proposals which long have
been pending before the Public Util-
ities Commission are scheduled to
be held by the agency between the
end Of this month and February II.
They deal with token sales, express
buses and bus routing.
Prior to announcement Of these
sessions, the commission late yester-
day rejected without prejudice
against a renewal the petition of the
Capital Transit Co. for permission
to convert 161 of its two-man cars
to one-man operation. This request
had been pending since last Sep
tember.
January 80 has been set for
public hearing on requests by the
Federation Of Citizens Associations
and the Federation of Civic Asso-
Citations for the sale of street car
and bus tokens at the rate of three
for 25 cents. The Capital Transit
Co. tokens now are sold at six for
SO cents. The hearing, to be held
in Room 203, District Building, will
start at 2 pm.
Ever since the uniform token fare
was established several years ago.
there have been arguments that,
while the rate Is the same, the rule
should be modified to permit sale Of
but three tokens at time.
Lively Battle In Prospect.
A much more serious battle is ex-
pected to develop at a hearing sched-
uled for February IL when the COM
mission will consider "all phases"
of service by the Capital Transit
co. to the Takoma, Petworth and
Chillum areas, including rates, rout-
ings and service. This hearing will
begin at 10 am. in Room 203, Dis
trict Building. the new headquarters
Of the commission.
This will bring up the proposal
by the transit company for a
straight 10-cent cash charge for
the Takoma express bus service, in
return for which it agrees to re-
routing and other improvement Of
service between Takoma and down.
town Washington.
Recently, Commission Chairman
Gregory Hankin declared questions
Of a 10-cent charge for express
Service brought up for considera-
ton whether express service was
10 be considered something for
which there should be special
and higher price. and what was
the measure Of the ordinary Cnot
express) service being given by the
company.
On January % the commission
will reconvene a public hearing
begun last March II on the routing
of the Chevy Chase L-2, La, 1t
buses between I street NV. and
the intersection of Twentieth street
and Connecticut avenue NV. Busi-
ness firms along lower Connecticut
avenue have been demanding that
bus operations along that portion
Of the highway be re1Ored. Tho
buses we're routed oter nearby
streets because Of traffic congestion
along lower Connecticut avenue.
See Traffic Slowed.
The transit company petition for
conversion of 161 of its two-man
cars to one-man operation was re-
jected by the commission on two
grounds: That the conversion would
slow down traf1ic movement. to
some extent; and that the COM
pany had failed to make a suf1-
cient showing that its difficulties to
employ additional men to operate
the 161 cars as two-man cars were
due to lack of labor rather than
the fact" that the company had
not competed sufficiently for the
labor market.
Mr.. Hankin yesterday conducted
an informal hearing on a petition
by some l,500 Government workers
for a relocation Of streetcar stops
near the Social Security Building
It was featured by the presentation
by the Capital Transit Co. of movies
Of traffic movements Of recent date
6treetcar stops now are located
along independence avenue S.W.
: near Sixth and Third streets. The
proposal was to shift them to places
along Independence avenue near its
intersection with Fourth street and
Maryland avenue S.W.
Such changes were opposed by
Highway Director H. c. Whitehurst
and Traffic Director William A. Van
Duzer on the grounds of the safety
of the thousands of war workers
involved. 1t was brought out that
some Government workers now cross
Independence avenue from the traf-
fic directional islands near Fourth
street when streetcars, during rush
periods, pile up" near the Social
Security Building, but Capt. White
hurst argued that If the stops were
changed the "pile up" might extend
to Seventh street instead of merely
to Sixth street.
Decision on this issue was delayed
until Mr.. Hankin makes his report
on the informal hearing. The other
Commission member, Brig. Gen.
Charles w. Kutz. was engaged at
the Park and Planning Comnis-
sion at the time of the hearing.