Evening star., 1951-08-04
ice Tells Senators
Transportation Study
'0f Area Justified

The Interstate Commerce Com
mission thinks a study of the
Washington area transit problem.
is justified but wants financia
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 i!
considering a bill by Senator
Byrd. Democrat, of Virginia, Il
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.
I'm our opinion, the Importance
Of the matter to the citizens oi
the Washington area would justify
its study" wrote Mr.. Splawn, ir
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 tc
the commission to enable it tx
undertake the additional dutie.
by S. 1868 (Senator Byrd's bill)
unless additional funds for tha
purpose are specifically appro.
priated."
Existing legislation, the lette
declares, would permit ICC Il
regulate all for-hire interstate mo
Itor transportation within tn,
Washington commercial zone, "i
lit finds such action necessary tt
carry out the national transporta
ton policy. 49,"
Capital Transit, however, alway
has been exempt from ICC regula
tion because it holds authorit.
from the State and District utili
ties commissions to perform in
Itrastate transportation over tn
entire length of its interstat
routes, according to the ICC state
ment.
Could Remove Exemption.
"While the commission has tn
power to remove this exemption
from Capital Transit's operation
and has done so as to fares to an
from the site of the Pentagol
Building in Virginia" wrote MI
Splawn, cit has never considere'
that the national transportation
policy requires that all of Capita
Transit'S interstate operations an,
fares be subject to regulation. Re
lnoval of the exemption to accom-
iplish this purpose would, of course
not affect the intrastate fares. ..
The ICC statement compares tn
transportation situation here t.
other large cities, like New York
Philadelphia or Kansas City, wher
mass transportation is Furnished
in buses and rail cars which carr.
both intrastate and interstate pas
Isengers at the same time.
"The combination of three in
terstate regulatory authoritie
and this commission governing
-four different classes of movement
within single metropolitan are;
may afford a reason for differen
treatment of this situation thar
would be considered in othei
areas" the statement adds.
Federal Employment Cited.
The ICC letter also acknowl
edges that the situation in Wash
ington is unique because of tn
many Government agencies 10
Gated here and a large percentag
Iof the total traffic in the area con
SlStS OF travel by Federal EN-
ployes.
"The widespread suburban de
Ivelopment, both commercial ant
residential, and the recent tend
ency to locate new Government
establishments in outlying area
make it increasingly difficult TO
the public to obtain what it i
primarily interested IN, that is,
fast and dependable means o
transportation at a reasonable
cost" wrote Mr.. Splawn.
His letter mentions several pos
sibilities that have been suggested
to cope with the problem-a new
agency with authority to regulate
Jail transportation in the metro
Ipolitan area. or granting Distric
Public Utilities Commission au
thority over transportation be-
tween the District and .othel
metropolitan area points.
N,,n.hnxe A.n Da~aIInl