Evening star., 1943-08-16
Capital Transit
Buses Increased
For Rush Hours
Full Restoration of
20 Pct. Cut May
Take 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 81.
The immediate 1engthening of "a
few routes probably four or five
was to be announced later in the
day, E. D. Merrill, president of the
transit company, said Meanwhile,
. study OF other routes and sched-
ules was under way as a result of
the ODT's action Saturday lifting
the 20 per cent mileage limitation.
Chairman James Flanagan of the
Public Utilities Commission esti-
mated 1t probably will be week or
two before there is "any noticeable
improvement" in service on most
lines
Commission Promises Aid.
Some of the short routes may have
proved desirable, and in these cases,
lines may not be returned to their
original lengths, he indicated.
Mr. Flanagan promised that the
PUG would work with the Capital
Transit Co. to try to rearrange the
service and get it back to normal
as fast as possible"
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 superintendent
instructed them to have as many
bus drivers as possible report for
work this morning, and to add addi-
tional fllsh-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 cx-
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-
itiesS Commission, Capital Transit
probably will restore routes as tisey
were before the cut, he indicated.
He said 1t is possible, however,
that service may beaadded to feR
lines not affected by ting cuts, -leaN-
ing the cuts In effect on several
other lines.
Other Lines Ready to Act.
Meanwhile, officials of other bus
lines serving the District and nearby
Maryland and Virginia said steps
to restore service will begin as soon
as they are oficially notified of the
easing OF ODT restrictions. L
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 a 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, Mr..
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.
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 ali
service that was cut of as a result
Of the ODT limitation.
H..kl:> C>IIl AR