Evening star., 1953-07-30
Weekly Permit,
Plus 1OCents,
Urged for Pass
Capitol. Transit Case
ConsuItunt Outlines
Plan at Hearing

SOHSuICUH( OuCIIHSS
PIun at Hearing
A weekly permit instead Of
the present weekly pass has been
suggested to the Public Utilities
Commission as a solution of the
financial troubles of the Capital
Transit Co.
The permit was suggested by
Edward A. Roberts, head of a
New York private consultant
firm, who was engaged by the
commission to make a fare sur
vey in connection with the COM
pany's application for increased
fares.
The permit would cost rs cents
and would entitle the rider to
travel on Streetcars or buses up
on payment of an additional 10
cents fare 1t would abolish the
weekly pass. His permit plan
would leave cash and token fares
as they are.
Mr.. Roberts outlined to the
commission yesterday his plans
which would increase the present
streetcar fare, but would be less
than the transit company is ask
ing.
In addition to the getting rid
of the weekly pass, Capital
Transit seeks to raise fares from
II cents to 20 cents and increase
the price of tokens to five for
95 cents.
Other Alternatives.
Mr.. Roberts suggested such al
ternatives as the installation of
a system of zone fares under
which passengers pay approx
nately in proportion of the
length of trips, secondly a charge
for transfers which are now is
sued free, and third, replacement
of the present $2.40 weekly pass
with the weekly permit.
He also suggested an arrange
ment whereby short trips could
be made at lower fare than
long trips and rates for midday
or evening trips at less fares
than charged during rush hours.
He said the principal objec-
ton to each successive increase
in fares is the loss of short-haul
riders.
Cites Percentage Increase.
He said his specific objection
to the proposed increased rates
is that frequent riders of the
streetcars would have their fares
increased too high. All pas
sengers now making 10 rides q
week would have their fares in
creased so per cent, and pas
sengers making more than Is
rides would have their fares in
creased more than 100 per cent.
He said the majority of the
riders using weekly passes in ex-
cess of 10 times a week are
made during non-rush hours.
He admitted that zone fares and
transfer chargers do not appear
to be practicable at this time.
He said the extensive borrow
ing habit which the weekly pass
has developed among Office
workers would work oue to the
advantage of the transit COM
pany with the substitution of the
weekly permit. He said the i'm
portant distinction between the
pass and the permit, from the
company standpoint, is that the
company collects 10 cents every
time the permit is used.
The permit is now used in
several cities of comparable size
to Washington, he said, namely
st. Louis, Kansas City and Gin
cinnati.
various Token Prices
He also suggested an 18-cent
fare with five tokens for IS cents
and weekly permit. His second
proposal was the same except six
tokens would be sold for 81. The
third would be similar but the
tokens would sell four for IS
cents. The fourth would charge
80 cents for five tokens and the
fifth would leave the tokens as
they are now priced-f1ve for rs
cents.
Mr.. Roberts said the company
proposal would increase cash
fares 176 per cent and token
fares would rise 26.7 per cent,
but the fare increase Of those
buying passes would range from
34.6 per cent for a passenger
taking II rides weekly to 1878
per cent for those using a pass
80 times week.
The hearing was recessed late
yesterday afternoon until pm.
today.