Evening star., 1952-07-20
Units
Fight Boost in
Transit Fare
Civic Groups Oppose
3-Cent Increase
In First Zone
By ChorIes A. McAIeer

BY Chorles A. McAIeer
The Capital Transit Co.'S re-
luest for three-cent first zone"
are increase in Maryland already
has drawn opposition from men,
bers of civic groups in nearby
Prince Georges and Montgomery
Counties.
One civic leader, Walter F. Null
ligan, president of the Prince
Georges County Civic Federation,
said he would lodge protest with
'he Maryland Public Service Com
mission and demand a public hear
ing.
His sentiments were echoed by
representatives of the Montgomery
County Civic Federation and the
Allied Civic Group of Silver Spring.
All three groups, representing civic
associations throughout the two
county area, have adjourned their
meetings for the summer and do
not meet again until September.
The transit company filed a
petition with the Public Service
Commission in Baltimore Friday
afternoon. 1t asked that fares for
the first zone of travel be increased
from z to 10 cents, starting August
II.
ToIvAI -
The company said the first zone
IN this case is the one in which a
passenger boards a streetcar or
bus. not the first one over the
District line. On all zones past
the first one, the fare would re.
main at the present 7-cent rate.
the firm reported.
Mr.. Mulligan was extremely
critical of the transit company's
action.
How many more brilliant
schemes can they father?" he in
quired. "They certainly are good
at Wringing the last penny out Of
people,"
He pointed out that Maryland
residents pay considerably more
to ride through their State under
the zone system than do residents
in the District.
TITS inconsistent" he said. ito
have zones on one-part of the
system and straight fare in the
other. It's unfair to the people of
Maryland" -
Some Pay 81 a Day.
In Washington, the present fare
is Is cents straight, three tokens
for 40 cents or $2.10 for a weekly
pass. The transit company, how
ever, has asked the District Pub.
lie Utilities Commission to in.
crease the regular fare to II cents.
tokens to 6 for 80 cents, and to
eliminate passes.
Hearings on this request will be
resumed before the District group
lat 10 a. m. Wednesday.
In Maryland, the present zone
fare of Z cents is good for a dis
tance of approximately 11a miles.
Mr.. Mulligan said it was possible
for some residents to pay as much
as 81 a day per round trip to go to
and from work in the District, with
70 per cents of this being paid in
Maryland. He suggested that it
might be wise to place the entire
transit system on a zone basis.
why force Maryland residents
to pay the most?" he asserted.
"The transit company should con-
slider 1t all one operation"
$500 Deficit Cited. r..
The transit company, in it's petit
ton, claims that two wage in
creaSes in the past 13 months have
caused the Maryland portion of
the system to operate with an an.
nual deficit of some 100000.
Mr.. Mulligan, who also is act
ing chairman of his organization's
Transportation Committee, said he
would call for a special meeting of
that group to map out its plan of
opposition.
Wayne Birdsell, recording secre-
tary Of the Montgomery County
Civic Federation, said the group
always has gone on record as op-
posing transit fare increases. He
said the federation's Public Util-
tiles Committee also was author
lied to take action during the
summer recess.
Special Meeting Possible.
Robert T. Snure, immediate
past president Of the Allied Civic
Group and a member of its execu-
tive board, said this committee
also was empowered to act during
this period or it could call for a
special meeting of the entire Or
ganization. He added that the AL
lied Civic Group also is on record
against fare increases.
John H. Hessey, chairman Of
the three-man Maryland PSC,
said yesterday that protests.
against the increase would in
f1uence the decision regarding a
public hearing. He said his group
would decide this week whether
to call one.
The three-cent increase auto
matically will go into effect on
August II unless the commission
acts before that time, according
to Mr.. Hessey.