Evening star., 1947-11-11
Mary|andP. sc.
Calls Transit
Fare Hearing
Additional $275,M0
Yearly Is Sought by
Capital Company

Commission will hold a hearing
December 3 on the Capital Transit
Co.'S application for increased fares
in Maryland, which the company
estimates will bring in an additional
S275,000 year.
Frank Harper, secretary Of the
commission, said today the. body
will make full investigation Of the
company's application at the hear
ing. Offlcials of the counties af-
fected and individuals will be given
an opportunity to testify. he said.
The hearings will be held in Balti-
more. ,.
At the same time the company
asked for the increased Maryland
fares, it asked for permission to dis
continue the streetcar shuttle line,
Route "a, between Branchville and
Beltsville.
The commission in Baltimore set
this down for hearing on Decem-
ber 9.
Would Be Effective Dec. IL.
The new tariff the company filed
with the commission yesterday
would provide the rate increases go
into effect December IL.
This would involve the waiver of
Q law requirement for 30-day notice.
- william A. Carson, chairman of
the Board Of County Commissioners
Of Prince Georges County, said the
county authorities will not oppose
the higher Maryland fares before
the Public Service Commission.
II think, however, we will write
the Capital Transit Co. a letter stat
ing that we don't think the people
at this time should be taxed with
another increase" he said
He pointed out Prince Georges
County residents who work in Wash
ington already are paying the higher
District fares. The increase in the
District, from three rides for Is
cents to a straight 10-cent fare and
from $125 to $3.50 for the weekly
pass, went into effect May IL.
In stating the fare increase will
not be opposed before the commits
sion, Mr. Carson added: "The Capt.
tai Transit knows how much the
service is costing them"
Federation in Opposition.
Louis A. Day, chairman of the
public Utilities Committee of the
Prince Georges County Civic Fed
Grafton, said, however, that organi-
zation will oppose the fare increase
ut the hearing.
We'll 60 over there in q body"
he said. But we don't expect much
consideration from the commission,
because we haven't been given much
consideration in the past.
Brooke Johns, chairman Of the
county commissioners In Montgom-
cry County, declined to forecast
what the action Of the commits
sioners of that county would be.
But he said the commissioners will
meet today.
Were going to talk it over" he
said
The new fare schedule would
place the suburban fares on a
straight scent cash fare for each
zone Of about III miles measured
from the District line.
Wide Variety of Fares.
At present there is a wide variety
Of fare arrangements. On some
Maryland lines, passengers now
purchase weekly passes at rs cents
q zone, Communication tickets or cut
rate single trip tickets for as low
as z cents.
In some instances the passenger
may enjoy a decreased fare under
the new rates. On the East River
dale -Cheverly line, for instance, the
cash fare Is 10 cents over dis
lance more than IL miles. Those
beyond ~ miles will continue pay
ing 10 cents, but those within the
1h-mile zone will pay only 5 cents.
Here is an example of the in
crease resident in a fourth zone
would encounter.
On the Garnett Park Line, LIS,
the resident in the fourth zone now
pay S cents a zone. However, he
may buy 100 zone tickets for SO,
making the cost cents zone But
the Scent tickets are not good for
the fourth gone, in which cents
must be paid, making the trip to the
District cost IA cents. Five round
trips a week between a District des-
tination and the fourth zone would
cost $1.40 beyond the county line
and 81 in the District, a total of
$40.
The rider now might otherwise
buy for $3.50 a weekly pass good for
any number of rides in the District
and In the suburban area out to the
fourth zone.
Would End Zone Passes.
Under the new rates, there would
be no zone passes. The five round
trips a commuter would make
would cost him So.
Capital Transit said It's operations
In Maryland resulted in losses of
$425, 900 a year before is cents an
hour wage increase was granted by
an arbitration board. The new
fares, the company said, would not
put the Maryland operations in the
black but would cut the loss to
around $150,0oo.
In asking for the abandonment of
the Branchville Beltsville shuttle
line, the company said its losses on
the line. under the new wage scale,
would be not less than $4,000 a
year and that necessary rebuilding
Of track would cost $4,000.
The company said about $50 pas
sengers use the line on a normal
day. It said the Greyhound Lines
operate a busline roughly parallel
to the shuttle carline and within
reasonable walking distance of it.
In another transit development,
the Washington, Marlboro and An
napolis Busline has asked the Inter-
state Commerce Commission for
fare increases to Maryland points,
effective November 23.
The line asked increases ranging
from 3 to 30 cents to Chesapeake
Beach and North Beach and inter-
mediate points.
Some Of the increases would be:
Coral Hills and Hillside, from 10 to
Is cents; District Heights, from Is
IA IN cent?. Andrews Field from On