Evening star., 1942-10-12
ICC Is Urged
To Reconsider
Bus Line Order
Operator Would
Suspend Portion
Of Service

The Montgomery Bus Lines, Inc,
subsidiary Of the Capital Transit
Co., has urged the Interstate Com
merce Commission to reconsider its
order OF September % denying a
request for authority to suspend
temporarily through bus service be-
tween Rockville and downtown
Washington, it was disclosed today.
The petition filed by the Mont
gomery Bus Lines asked authority
Tor dlscontinuance of that portion
OF the Rockville bus line now op-
Grated between Wisconsin avenue.
D. C.-Maryland rail-bus terminal
and points in downtown Washing
ton.
Officials I'm a Quandary."
In letter to the commission,
w. B. Bennett, vice president of
the Capital Transit Co.. declared
that the commissions order leaves
the officials of this company Mont
gomery Bus Lines, IncD and of the
parent company in a quandary
as to their responsibilities in war
time management and operation of
the properties under their control"
Noting that the petition was filed
In accordance with the policy rec
commended by the Office of Defense
Transportation, Mr.. Bennett out
lined the practical considerations"
which led the transit company to
seek curtailment of the bus route
and the consequent diversion of pas
sengers to a street railway line.
Lists considerations"
These considerations" included
the following:
l. Suspension of the through por-
tion of the Rockville bus line would
result in an annual savings of 81, 500
bus-mileS. This is equivalent, Mr.
Bennett wrote, to a saving of 800
pounds OF rubber per year.
2. The cost OF transportation for
the approximately 200 persons now
using the service would be reduced.
Under the through service schedule.
the fare per passenger from the
first zone in Maryland, which in
cludes Bethesda, to downtown
Washington is 20 cents. This would
be reduced to Is cents through the
use of -streetcar service.
3. In addition to being able to
ride at reduced fares, patrons of
the line would be given a universal
transfer privilege on the lines of
the Capital Transit Co. within the
District. This is not available at
present under the through bus sys-
tenn. -.
4. At present only about so per
cent of the riders on the line make
use of through service for travel to
downtown Washington and only 33
per cent of the outbound traffic
movement represent through riders.
A substantial portion" of the
passengers, Mr.. Bennett added
transfer at the District line to the
TenleytoWn Pennsylvania avenue
car line
S. While travel time on the COM
bination bus-streetcar route is in
creased on an average of Is minutes
over that of the corresponding
through bus service this difference
in time probably will be cut down
due to the recent Government order
limiting highway speeds for motor
vehicles to 35 miles an hour.
Cites Request by ODT.
Mr.. Bennett also declared that the
Office of Defense Transportation has
urged the alteration of schedules and
routes so as to divert passengers from
present bus lines to street railway
routes and that the Montgomery Bus
Lines. Inc. is attempting to meet
this request.
Refusal by the commission to
permit curtailment of through bus
service on Montgomery Bus Lines,
Inc" he asserted, may be expected
to have some effect on the attitude
of other regulatory commissioners in
determining the necessity for cur
failing bus miles in other places in
accordance with the wishes of the
Office of Defense Transportation
and thus have a far-reaching effect
in nullifying the program which we
understand is desired by that Of
flee"
Pointing out that no reasons are
given in the commissions order de-
nving the petition, Mr.. Bennett
asked that it reconsider its decision
and grant the authority requested.
Thn eoo~or you rot that VVor COW