Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-10
Transit Zone
Fares Urged at
p. U. {. Hearing
BY JOHN STEPP

An engineering consultant of
the District Public Utilities Com
mission today urged that a seri-
Gus study be made of the posi-
bilities for adopting system of
paying for mass transit rides on
the basis of distance Travelled.
The recommendation was
made by Edward A. Roberts
principal member of a consult
ing engineer firm of New York
City.
Mr.. Roberts. the third witness
to take the stand since the COM
mission staff began its direct
case yesterday, declined to state
whether he favors a zone-fare
system here. But, he pointed
out, number OF other cities
throughout the country have
adopted it.
Elsewhere in his testimony in
the public hearing on Capital
Transit Company's pre-strike
petition for fare increases, the
consultant compared the present
cash fares of Capital Transit
with those of 20 other large
cities. The average charge per
ride, he said, is a little more
Capital Transit's present cash
fare. which it does not propose
to change at this time, is 20
cents a ride.
A further breakdown of the
30-city comparison sowed that
the average cost to passengers
taking 10 rides per week amount
ed to $l.55. The weekly 10-ride
cost to Capital Transit riders is
$l.60 now and would be $3.50
under the proposed fare boosts.
Earlier in today's session,
Charles j. Bauer, executive Sec
rotary of the Building Owners
and Managers Association, urged
establishment of a $3.50 weekly
permit. with 10 cents per ride
charged imposed on passengers
using the transit system during
rush hours. In non-rush periods
the permit alone would entitle
passengers to their ride.
Another witness, this one re-
tanned by the commission. was
DR.. Harry J. Walker. associate
professor of sociology at Howard
University. DR.. Walker indicated
that he is opposed to any fare
increase because of the hardship
it would impose on the lower
income brackets.
Dr.. Walker was retained by
the regulatory body on July to
do research on the weekly per-
NIT. His assignment was to
study the effect Of Capital Tran
sit fares, including the permit. on
lower-income groups here.
Wants to Abolish
The 75-cent weekly permit,
with it's l0-cent-per-ride fea-
ture. is one element in the local
fare structure the transit COM
pany wants to abolish. Capital
Transit also seeks to increase
the price of tokens to five for
.95 cents. The present 20-cent
cash fare would be retained.
J. William Falk, chief &C
Icountant of the commission and
the only witness yesterday,
made it clear no final decision
in the current rate case can be
reached until the President acts
on pending franchise lifting
Legislation and until the wage
issues in the present strike are
settled and transit operations
resume.
Mr.. Falk declared, II would ex-
pect to make such recon-
mendation at some future ses-
sion in this proceeding"
The accountant added that he
observed: Il believe it is safe
to say that there will be some
increase in labor costs in the
future period"
Increase Predicted
On the latter score, Mr.. Falk
cautiously observed: Il believe it
is safe to say that there will be
some increase in labor costs in
the future period"
The witness dwelt on a point
brought out at an earlier ses-
sion concerning the company's
estimate that its net operating
income for the year beginning
last May / will total only $327,-