Evening star., 1948-01-16
Capital Transit
Awaits Findings
On D. {. Zone
ice to Draw Up
Report on Extending
Commercial Area

SOIttlItGI&Iub TISu
The Capital Transit Co. request
to have the Interstate Commerce
G Commission extend the Washington
area commercial zone deeper into
nearby Maryland and Virginia to-
day awaited an official report Of
examiners.
Testimony ended yesterday, with
declaring population
growth and public service demand
that the zone be enlarged. Op.
ponents denied this and contended
Capital Transit Is attempting to
evade ICC rules by its request. Ths
zone is based on an urban unit,
in which the ICC does not directly
rate control.
The proposal affects not only bus
fares, but delivery of merchandise
oy Washington merchants, trans
portation of household goods and
other things.
The case was heard by Examiners
T. Croft and Sheldon Sill
verman at ICC headquarters here.
They will write recommended
report and order for commission
but the parties to the
hearing can file exceptions to these.
1t is expected the report and order
will not be ready until March.
Zone Setup in 1887. -,
The present zone, established IN
1897, embraces Alexandria and Ar.
lington County. 1t runs along the
west bank Of the Potomac River In
Virginia and crosses into Maryland
near Cabin John. to include Garrett
Park, Wheaton, Silver Spring,
Bethesda, Takoma Park, Hyatts.
Vile, Cheverly and Suitland.
The Capital Transit request would
the area to embrace a Sec
tion south of Alexandria, would
include all of Falls Church and Nc
Lean, would extend farther north
ward into Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties, to take in Carde-
rock, Branchville and Greenbelt.
Transit Attorney Daryal Myse
told the examiners the zone should
be extended or the public will suffer.
He said the company is not asking
for the complete absence Of regula-
tion, for in the expanded zone 1t
will still be subject to the Mary
land Public Service Commission
rules.
Attorney Harry L. Grubbs, jr.,
representing the Standard Transfer
& Storage Co., Inc. and the Jacobs
Transfer Co., Inc, said people living
in the proposed new zone are part
of Washington and its commercial
life. He declared the situation has
changed "drastically," since the 1887
zone order.
Adverse Effect Seen.
S. Harrison Kahn, attorney for
Anchorage Transportation, Inc,
which operates the Washington
Suburban Line, running buses be-
tween the District and Montgomery
County. said the zone extension
would affect the carriers he repre-
SentS adversely.
The transportation, apart from
safety regulations, is not subject to
ICC rates, although that commits
sion could enforce them. AS mat
ter of practice, however, the Mary
land Public Service Commission
fixes rates and routes in Maryland
and the Public Utilities Commission
supervises the firm in the District.
Within the 1887 zone, Washington
truckers can operate with only
limited ICC supervision.
John C. Bittenbender, vice presi-
dent and treasurer of the American
Storage Co., said his firm is author,
lied by the ICC to operate between
Washington and 81 States.
He told the examiners that, being
restricted to the present commercial
zone, is very inconvenient to the
customers who move household
goods" He said it is necessary to
explain to them ICC regulations and
that half of Falls Church is in the
commercial zone and half outside 1t.
Says Customer Delayed.
When a shipment Is made under
ICC certificate, he said, the ship
ment must be weighed and lot of
detailed paper work must be done,
causing delay for the customer. He
said the new zone should include
Rockville, Upper Marlboro, Fairfax.
Annandale and Tyson's Corners
communities far beyond what Cap
ital Transit is seeking He declared
Washington is being unfairly treated
compared with other communities
under ICC Jurisdiction. -. 4
Arthur E. Morrissette, owner and
operator Of Ace Van g. Storage Co.,
indorsed Mr.. Bittenbender's tes-
timony and said he is interested in
having the zone extended to give
customers better service.
Dean J. Locke, Capital Transit
staff engineer, introduced a number
of maps in evidence and told the
examiners the effect OF the 1887 zone
limits is to prevent the company
from readily making extensions Of
service in rapidly growing suburban
areas" The transit company con-
tended a map of the Chesapeake 6s
Potomac Telephone Co. metropolitan
telephone exchange area embraces
much of the new zone and even goes
beyond it.
Jack H. Marks, director Of tbs
service building for the Hecht Co.,
who has charge Of deliveries, testi-
fed his trucks serve outlying areas
three times week, showing the
extent of operations.
Alfred E. Curles, associated with
the moving firm of that name, in
opposing the transit company re-
quest, said he also appeared for the
Cannon Ball Transit Co. He told
the examiners If the zone Is In
creased, it will create increased COM
petition, permitting Washington
movers to extend their operations
farther into nearby Maryland and