Evening star., 1949-11-28
$500 Dai|yLoss
Cited at HEARING
On Arnold Fare
Firm Says New Raise
Contributes to Need
For Higher Income

The Washington, Virginia h
Maryland Coach Co. (Arnold line)
now is losing more than $500 a
day in it's operations, Bernard
Wahle. the firms general mana
ger. today told Examiner j. j.
Williams at an. Interstate Com
merce Commission fare increase
hearing.
S. Harrison Kahn, company
counsel, explained that this takes
into account the recent arbitra-
tion award for wage increases Of
10 to II cents an hour for the
firms drivers and maintenance
workers, numbering nearly 300.
Mr.. Kahn pointed out that this
labor award is an obligation Of the
company.
The company seeks permission
to increase its fares generally S
cents per zone to meet the Sep
tember 9 wage increase award.
The firm wants to sell six tokens
for 81. instead of four for so cents
as at present.
$4,000 Ride Line.
About $4,000 passengers daily
ride the line, which operates be-
tween points in Arlington and
Fairfax Counties and the District
Of Columbia.
Faced with a strike of the lines
employees, the State Of Virginia,
under it's Public Utilities Labor
Relations Act. covering health.
safety and welfare of the public,
seized the lines on November 2.
It has been operating them since.
Unless the employees get their
wage increases they have threat
ened to strike. Meanwhile. under
State operation, the workers are
continuing on the job, pending the
outcome of State and Federal in
vestigations into the situation.
Needs New Equipment.
The Arnold Line is in need Of
additional equipment. particularly
larger buses, each with a capacity
of a. passengers to replace the
present inefficient 30-passenger,
one-door vehicles, Mr.. Wahle tes-
titled. But, he told the examiner,
because of financial inability"
the company is unable to buy this
new equipment.
Recent negotiations with the
Marine Trust Co. of Buffalo, N.
Y. for financing for new equip
ment, fell through after the labor
award. Mr.. Wahle said.
The trust company changed its
mind because the labor award
would cause an operating loss, the
witness said. He declared that
"there IS an ~ifnmediate and ur-
gent need for additional equip-
ment" to render safe. economical
service to the communities the
company serves. He pointed out
that because of new home devel-
opment communities here, it has
been necessary for the firm to
extend its operations into these
areas.
Has 135 Buses.
Mr.. Wahle told Mr.. Williams
that although the company has a
total Of 1876 buses and uses 130
of them during rush hours, there
are only 80 buses In all-day serv-
ice. He explained this by point
ing out that the Federal Govern
ment is the major employer here
and when its employees go to and
from work about the same time,
this creates q peculiar mass trans
portation problem in this area.
Mr.. Wahle testified that $749,-
278 is the appraised value of the
eompany's property - offices. bus
parking and shops-at TOT North
Randolph street, Arlington. The
appraisal was made by John j.
Loflin, Arlington real estate man.
He is executive vice president and
q director of the corporation, as
well as its general manager. In
vain, Mr.. Wal11e said, has he
sought facilities in the District for
his firm to park vehicles during
non-rush hours. He testified that
there are 500 shares of the COM
pany's stock outstanding. with
the Arnold family holding sub