Evening star., 1951-08-04
Transit Study Needed,
ice Says, but Calls on
Senators for Funds

The Interstate Commerce Com
mission thinks a study of the
Washington area transit problems
is justified but wants financial
help to do the job.
Sentiments of the ICC were
made known in letter by Chair
man Walter M. W. Splawn to the
Senate Committee on Interstate
and Foreign Commerce. which is
considering a bill by Senator
Byrd, Democrat, of Virginia. to
require an ICC study of public
transportation in the District area.
The study would center on ade-
quacy of service and reasonable
ness of fares.
In our opinion, the Importance
of the matter to the citizens of
the Washington area would justify
its study" wrote Mr.. Splawn, in
behalf of the ICC legislative COM
mittee.
No Funds Provided.
But he cautioned:
Before the duty to make such
investigation and study is assigned
to this commission, necessary
funds should be made available to
the commission to enable it to
undertake the additional duties
by S. 1868 (Senator Byrd's bilD
unless additional funds for that
purpose are specifically appro-
priated."
Existing legislation, the letter
declares, would permit ICC to
regulate all for-hire interstate mo-
tor transportation within the
Washington commercial zone, "it
lit finds such action necessary to
carry out the national transporta-
Ition policy. ="
i Capital Transit, however, always
has been exempt from ICC regula-
ton because it holds authority
from the State and District utili-
ties commissions to perform in
Itrastate transportation over the
Ientire length of its interstate
routes, according to the ICC state
ment.
while the commission has the
power to remove this exemption
from Capital Transit's operations
and has done so as to fares to and
from the site of the Pentagon
Building in Virginia" wrote Mr.
Splawn, "it has never considered
that the national transportation
policy requires that all of Capital
Transit's interstate operations ano
, fares be subject to regulation. Re-
moval of the exemption to accom-
plish this purpose would, of course
{ not affect the intrastate fares. -
: The ICC statement compares the
transportation situation here tt
: other large cities, like New York
Philadelphia or Kansas City, where
mass transportation is furnished
in buses and rail cars which carry
both intrastate and interstate pas.
sengers at the same time.
1.-THE combination of three in
terstate regulatory authorize:
and this commission governing
-four different classes of movement.
within a single metropolitan area
may afford a reason for different
j treatment of this situation thar
would be considered in othel
areas" the statement adds.
Federal Employment Cited.
The ICC letter also acknowl
edges that the situation in Wash,
ington is unique because of th'
many Government agencies To-
Gated here and a large percentage
of the total traffic in the area con
sists Of travel by Federal EN-
ployes.
1.-THE widespread suburban de-
velopment, both commercial ant
residential, and the recent tend
ency to locate new Government
establishments in outlying area
make it increasingly difficult fol
the public to obtain what it il
primarily interested In. that is, I
fast and dependable means O.
transportation at a reasonable
q Cost" wrote Mr.. Splawn.
4 His letter mentions several pos
\ sibilities that have been suggested
Il to cope with the problem-a nev
B agency with authority to regulate
d all transportation in the metro
3 politan area, or granting Distric
Public Utilities Commission au
Ithority over transportation be
Itweehl the District and othe
metropolitan area points.
q