Evening star., 1952-10-02
Capital Transit
Gets Fare Raise
In Maryland
First-Zone Increase
From 7 to 10 Cents
Effective October IS

The Capital Transit Co. today
received permission to increase its
first zone rates in Maryland sub.
urbs from 7 cents to 10 cents.
The Maryland Public Service
Commission granted the increase
as requested by the transit COM
pany. The new rate goes into ef-
feet october IS.
The rate system in the suburbs
of Maryland is based on geograph-
ical zones. which average about e
miles in length. The present rate
is 7 cents a zone. Under the new
set-up, a passenger will pay 10
cents for the first zone in which
he boards the bus and 7 cents for
each additional zone entered from
there on.
Capital Transit. in asking for
the increase. pleaded the higher
revenues still would not wipe out
the operating deficit it runs up on
its bus operations beyond the Dis
trict line.
Fares in Washington were in
creased recently to a 17-cent fare.
tokens, S for IS cents, and week.
ly pass for $2.40.
Routes Affected.
Twelve bus lines and two street.
car lines will be affected by the
new rates. All operate in Mary
land
The streetcar lines are the
Cabin John and the Maryland
Line. The bus routes affected are
Alta Vista, Connecticut Avenue,
East Riverdale- -Cheverly. Hyatts-
vile, Kensington-Silver Spring.
Michigan avenue, Loughboro-
Chevy Chase. New Hampshire
avenue -Chillum, Queens Chapel
. Manor -Ager road, Silver Spring
Community, Takoma and Naval
Medical
E. c. Giddings, transit company
vice president, said the new rate
will still leave the Maryland OPP
) erationS a losing proposition. He
estimated the company will go in
. the red about $4,000 a year even
with the new rate.
Regrets School Fare Rise.
In announcing its decision in
Baltimore. the commission said it
= was sorry this means many
= school children in the Maryland
e suburbs will have to pay at least
10 cents a ride to get back and
forth to school.
The school fare inside the
9 District is three cents and it was
set by Congress more than 20
years ago.
a The commission called this fare
unreasonably low, particularly in
q light of present conditions and
costs.
= Back in 1948 the commission
e ordered Capital Transit to sell
c school children five tickets for Is
u cents. but the company appealed
e to the courts and won a re-
y versal of the commission order.
The commission, in today's de-
ciSion, also reviewed the con-
troversy over whether Capital
Transits Maryland lines should
be considered separate and dis
y tinct for rate making purpose or
an integral part of Capitals serv.
n ice within the District.
Cooperation Noted.
/. In recent years appeals to the
courts by the company have
n forced the commission to lei
r Capital Transit discontinue OF
d curtail service on several of its
: lines in the Maryland area.
The commission said today:
! IF there is not to be a con-
y tinued whiting away of thu
;; Maryland service and. perhaps
y y even higher fares than those
. . being presently authorized, some
e means must be effected of con.
{ sidering the property and affair.
{ :, of the Capital Transit Co. as {
u whole, and not on the segregated
y basis presently being used"
IL The commission pointed out Il
already is cooperating with tn,
It Public Utilities Commission of tn,
Il District of Columbia in treatin,
S the Potomac Electro Power Co. a,
n a whole in the setting of cleo
= tricity rates.