Evening star., 1951-06-01
ReoionoI Transit Control Plan

The darlington Civic Associations proposal
for Transportation regulatory agency IN the
washington Metropolitan Area is worth careIW
study by legislative and administrative autnorl-
ties in the jurisdictions involved. The aSsocla-
tion mas shown that it has keen understanding
of the interjurisdictonal public utility problems
which plague residents of the District ana the
MARYLAND and Virginia suburbs. The Time Is
coming, if it is not already here when there must
be some sort of joint consideration OF transit
and other public-service problems by these COM
munities If chaos In handling rates, scneouies
and other matters is to be avoided
The darlington proposal was prompted by
the recent petitions to the Interstate Commerce
Commission, asking for regional inVestlgatlon
of public transportation facilities rates and serv-
ices. The pleas were made by the Arlington
County Civic Federation, the Arlington County
Board, the Montgomery County Council and
other groups. The Defense Department, speak
ing for other Federal agencies well, has joined
in the request to the ICC. But the National
Bus Traffic Association is fighting any move py
the ICC to enter the field of local utility control
The association has told the ICC that congress
did not intend that the commission become m
yolyed in the regulation Of municipal street-ous
onerations in the absence of the most compelling
reasons" The best proof of this contention Is
that Congress has not given the 1CC the funos
and staff required to undertake such inquiries
as a normal procedure.
But some overall regulatory agency will be
required eventually to operate IN the twlllgnt
zone of trans-boundary operations which now
are subject to so many different authorities.
Taxicab fares for overtime -District-line trips
for example, are outside the jurisdiction OF any
one public utilities agency. Bus lines operating
across boundaries are subject to District and
MARYLAND or Virginia control with the 1CC up to
now intervening only in the case OF Pentagon
fares. If the ICC should extend its jurisdiction
over local transit facilities the confusion would
be greater than ever.
The darlington plan for regional trans
portation agency is similar to proposals prevl-
ously made for Metropolitan Area PUG, except
that the transportation agency would be limited
to the bus and streetcar field. In order to avoid
the controversial aspect of Federal control, the
new agency would be partnership enterprise
net up by legislative compact, just as the Inter-
state Commission on the Potomac River Basin
was created for pollution abatement. The Fed
eral Government is a member of that commission,
but has no greater voice than the District OF
Columbia and the States that signed the compact.
Copies of the darlington resolution have
been sent to Congress and to the Governors OF
MARYLAND and Virginia, with the request that
appropriate legislation BE- prepared to institute
the Joint agency. 1t will take more than the
Harrington resolution to induce action, however
There must be widespread public demand for
such legislation, before Congress and before the
Maryland and Virginia Assemblies, If the move
nent is to get anywhere The Harrington pro-
posal is good starting point.