Evening star., 1951-07-07
Rise in School Fares
|0n Capital Transit
ASKED in Senate Bill

democrat, OF Florida TO raise
transit fares for school children
from the present 3 cents to half
the adult cash fare today was
pending in the Senate District
Committee.
The Senator. in a speech on the
Senate floor yesterday expressed
hope for early and thorough hear
Iings on the Sl'biect. He said the
Scent fare, written into law in
1888. does not begin to cover the
transportation cost for a school
child. The adult cash fare is l5c
The Capital Transit Co. is faced
with added operating costs. the
Senator pointed out, because of
the recent strike, increased wages
and fringe benefits given the
workers. 1t is expected to ask
that the 50 weekly pass and 8
tokens for 40 cents be abolished.
Sharp Rise in Earnings.
Meanwhile, the transit company
yesterday reported that its net in
come for the first five months of
this year was almost six times
greater than its earnings in the
same period in 1850 as a result of
further slashes in operating ex-
penses and a fare increase granted
in July. 1850.
Senator Holland pointed out
t, at the number of school children
has doubled in the past 20 years,
since the Scent fare was fixed,
and that operating costs have
risen.
There is no reason to believe
that the number of school chill
dren taking advantage of the s.
cent fare will decrease in the i'm
mediate future" said the Senator.
Apparently one of the reasons in
the past which has compelled the
Capital Transit Co. to request in
IcreaSes in other fares is the loss
suffered in carrying school chill
dren at the Scent fare"
Tells of Discussions.
Senator Holland said he has
gone over the matter in some de-
tail with the PUG, Capital Transit
and the District school authorities
to some extent. He said he has
discussed the subject with Chair
man Nicely of the Senate District
Committee, with Senator john
Iston, Democrat, of South Caro-
lima and Chairman Mcmillan of
the House District Committee. He
said they seem to feel it highly
appropriate at this time to con-
slider legislation on this matter. "
When he introduced his bill
yesterday afternoon Senator Hol-
land declared:
'I am introducing this bill at
the request of the Capital Tran
sit Co., in which Florida citizens
have substantial investments, but
only after careful study of the
situation by which ] have become
thoroughly convinced that the
subject matter should be dealt
with promptly by an act of Con-
gress along the lines of the bill
which I have introduced.
81 am advised by Capital Tran
sit that, in 1884, there were A.
I218.032 school fares collected at
this low rate. Sixteen years later
in 1850. the number of school
fares at this low rate was $685.
GAL. 1t is quite obvious that when
the Scent fare was established
costs were low in comparison with
costs today.
Capital Transit advises thai
the. average cost of carrying g
passenger in 1884 was 6.15 cent,
before return. The cost, there.
fore, in 1884, of carrying schoo
lchildren during the year wa.
$3.50, ,409, which meant a loss tt
the company before any return
lon investment of $132, 1868.
2 According to CT. the cost O.
D carrying passenger for th'
r year 1850 averaged 11.58 cent
before return, Thus the loss il
1850 before return, on carrying
school children, was $777 .086. O.
six times the loss resultin.
4 from the use of school fares il
n 1884"