Evening star., 1954-11-22

Study SeeksCut
In Federal Cost
$40 Million Saving
Sought by Pooling
U. S.-Run Vehicles
By WiIIiom A. MilIen

ernment transportation systems
here and throughout the Nation.
In the Washington area alone.
there are nearly 1000 vehicles
that carry Government workers
on official business. Some Of the
so major agencies of the Gov
ernment operate their own bus
service, not only here. but
throughout the country. The
Washington area study Is slated
to start next week.
1t is estimated about ! million
passengers here ride free on
Government vehicles annually.
President Eisenhower is ex-
pected to set in motion a special
organization to consider the
whole problem about December
/. The group also viii look into
the feasibility of having COM
mercial operators furnish trans
portion, in whole or in part. to
replace existing Government
lines.
Opportunity For Appeal.
A presidentially appointed re-
view board in the Budget Blu.
reau will give the agencies con.
cerned an opportunity to appeal
from the findings.
The Defense Department says
1t now has about 1,100 pas
Senger carrying administrative
vehicles operating in the WASH
ington area. These include am
balances. but exclude wreckers,
trucks, scooters, jeeps, motor.
cycles and other specialized ve-
hicles. They include $50 auto
mobiles. 200 buses, some 275
station wagons and carryalls and
SIS ambulances.
Some of the Defense Depart
ment's vehicles run on regular
schedules. These vary from
every Is minutes. such as to the
Capitol, to four runs daily to Ft.
Belvoir, Va. These include We
hicleS of the Army, Navy and Air
Force. The David Taylor Model
Basin at Carderoek, Md, the
Naval Research Laboratory at
Bellevue, the Main Navy Build
ing, the Navy Annex, the Penta-
gon. Boiling Air Base and
Andrews Air Base are key points
on the whole system.
!. Those who ride must present a
/ pass from their personnel officer,
. an official identification card or
special slips emitting them to the
!. trip, a Pentagon spokesman ex.
> planned.
: Convenience and the ex-
pedition of Government busi-
, ness is the reason the transpor.
tation was established, he ex-
/ planned.
Ordered BY Wilson.
Secretary of Defense Wilson
' last summer declared that the
Y armed forces would have to find
: commercial companies to con-
duct their bus operations, unless
, they can show they can do ii
cheaper.
One result is that the A. B. &
5 w. Transit Co. of Alexandria,
Va, as subcontractor for the
' Gray Line Sightseeing Co.,
which got the main contract
: from the Defense Department,
is now operating eight buses.
These travel between the Navy
Annex, the Pentagon, Main
Navy, the Naval Communica-
tions Center, Massachusetts, and
Nebraska avenues NV. and the
Naval Research Laboratory
They conduct the interstate
operations, while the Gray Line
runs largely within the city
under this contract, with foul
: buses.
: Edmund F. Mansure. the ad-
2 miniStrator of General Services
e is spearheading the move. He
wants to be sure in setting ur
: any pool economy will be devel-
: oped and transportation will con.
tinue. He is interested in elm.
4 mating. where possible, duplicat.
d ing personnel. maintenance. serv'
: ice, facilities and equipment.
To Formulate Program.
: John B. Hanson, director. Mo
: tor Vehicle Division Of GSA. viii
! work with the heads of. the prin'
!, cipal Government agencies, in al
: effort to formulate the program
Qualified technicians will maxi
studies in Washington. Chicago
San Francisco and elsewhere. HI
a said.
!, "Our studies will extend even
!. tually to 100 areas" said MI
: Hanson. when completed. thi
work is likely to result in estab
;. fishing 100 pools or systems ant
n the savings to the Government o
f. as much as $40 million annually
4 "I anticipate a Is per cent re
\, duction in the number of vehiclI
~ needs. both here and through
n out the country. We have hat
e a pilot operation In Denver and
= as q result Of our studies. ther
was a 80 per cent reduction ant
r we saved 100000 annual,
3 there.
3 "GSA motor equipment spe
8 cialists will make studies witt
q the help Of the agency con
a cerned It does not necessaril
3 mean that GSA win operate tn
pool that Is most efficient o
te economical. But all existin
8 systems viii be consolidated int
Z pool where practicable.
e "In the GSA in Washington
i we lean toward the use Of taxi
e in zones l and 2. For BY thi
% method. GSA saved over $4,000
q in the past year. through tn
elimination Of chauffeur-driye
IS cars" Mr.. Hanson asserted.
.. The GSA official estimate
= that nationally the FEEDERS
y. (snuarnr,nar,f has osfl nm ual,inia.