Evening star., 1943-08-16
Rush-Hour Service
OF Buses Increased
By Capital Transit
Restoration of Entire
20 Pct. Reduction Moy
1oke Two Months

1oke Two Months
Additional buses were to be oper.
Ated during morning and afternoon
rush hours today, but Capital Tran
sit Co. officials said as long as two
months might be required for full
restoration of the 20 per cent cut
In bus service put in effect last
May 27.
A study Of routes and schedules
already has begun as result of the
ODTs action Saturday lifting the
10 per cent mileage limitation, E. D
Merrill, president of the transit
company, said, He added, however
that improvement of schedules
would be gradual and that length
ening of routes to their previous dis
tances would be an even slower
process.
Many Shift to Streetcars.
Lack of manpower is one major
factor slowing the restoration of
service, Mr.. Merrill indicated. He
pointed out that many drivers have
left the company since the mileage
cut was made, and that others now
are operating streetcars.
In addition, many persons who
formerly rode buses have shifted to
streetcars because of the curtail-
ment of bus service. Before re-
ducing streetcar service to enable
an increase in bus operation, the
company officials must decide how
many of the present streetcar
patrons will go back to riding buses.
Additional Bus Trips.
Orders to division superintendents
instructed them to have as many
bus drivers as possible report for
work this morning, and to add addi-
tional ruSh-hour bus trips wherever
they thought it would be helpful.
Mr.. Merrill said. The same pro-
cedure was to be followed during
the rush period this afternoon.
. The Capital Transit Co. head ex-
pressed pleasure at the ODT's ac-
tion in lifting the 20 per cent mile
age limitation, explaining that the
company was glad of the oppor-
tunity to give the public better
service again." While lengthenirg
of routes will take time and must
be discussed with the Public Utll-
tiles Commission, Capital Transit
probably will restore routes as .i.ay
were before the cut, he indicated.
He said it is possible, however,
that service may be added to a few
lines not affected by the cuts, leav-
ing the cuts in effect on several
other lines.
Other Lines Ready to Act.
Meanwhile, officials of other bus
Zines serving the District and nearby
Maryland and Virginia said steps
to restore service will begin as soon
as they are officially notified of the
easing Of ODT restrictions.
The Washington, Marlboro and
Annapolis Motor Lines, which had
reduced only its non-rush hour
service. has plans, effective on on
cial notification, to resume normal
operations from Washington to Seat
Pleasant and on the Washington to
Forestville line, which serves the
Government offices at Suitland.
Normal non-rush hour service on
other lines will be resumed If and
when needed. within few weeks,
l.. L. Altman, president of the
company said.
r. T. Mitchell, traffic manager for
the Alexandria, Bancroft and Wash
ington Transit Co, pointed out that
the company still is obligated to
keep mileage as low as possible"
and said service may not be re-
sumed on some lines.
Ten Minute Schedules.
Ten minute schedules will be
placed in effect before the week is
out on the Washington to Bancroft
to Bailey's Crossroads route, MIR.
Mitchell said. These schedules al
ready have been prepared, he ex-
planned, since the company had been
planning to request improvement of
the 15-minute non-rush hour serv-
Ice on this line due to heavy travel
to the Pentagon Building and the
Navy Department Annex in Airing
ton.
The Mount Vernon line also will
receive additional buses, Mr.. Mitch
ell announced Other resumption
OF service must await completion
Of a survey, he said.
2 Plans of the Arnold Lines were
announced in the following state
ment by Joseph L. Arnold, vice
president and general manager:
I'VE are Immediately instigat-
ing study of our schedule to see
where the resumption of this mile
age can do the most good for riders.
We are not prepared at this time to
make any definite statement as to
what changes will be effected in
our schedules, but the moment we
have completed our study, We will
make the permitted improvements
in our service"
H. H. England, secretary of the
Arnold Lines, said the company
hoped to be able to restore all
service that was cut off as result
Of the ODT limitation.
Counting three to a family, more
than half a million people will read
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