Evening star., 1955-08-11
Plan for Higher
Fares for Pupils
Being Studied
Utilities Commission,
In Recess, to Report
After August l8

dren.
Commission Chairman George
E. c. Hayes announced August
Is as the tentative date for re-
suming the sessions. which be-
gan before the strike and will
still be in progress after the
strike ends.
Mr.. Hayes, with the agree
ment Of opposing counsel, said
he may either advance or delay
the date, depending upon
whether there is a break in the
strike deadlock. The August IL
date was set deliberately be-
yond the deadline by which
President Eisenhower must act
on pending legislation lifting
the Capital Transit franchise.
Ear rs We Can CO.
Speaking for the commission
staff, Assistant Corporation
Counsel Lloyd B. Harrison tolc
the chairman:
We've gone as far as we can
60 in replying to the company &
presentation"
The staff cannot complete its
own case until the money issues
in the strike are settled and the
company resumes operation. Also
as far as both company and
commission staff are concerned
the proceedings are stalled until
the President acts on the
franchise measure.
If he signs it, the commission
won't have to consider data
establishing q rate Of return tC
the company. The bill provides
there won't be any return tc
the stockholders in the one yeal
interim before the franchise
cancellation becomes effective
If the legislation is vetoed, by
signature, or pocketing, rate ot
return must be established BY
the body.
The school fare is another
complication for the rate-makers
AS is the case with the unre.
solved union wage question, 6
school fare boost must be figured
in the expense and revenue pic.
ture Of the company.
The introduction of these cosI
and income elements into the
rate case means that both com.
pany and commission staff mus
scrap most Of their computation,
made to date and start from
scratch. Obviously both side.
must know how much revenue
an increased school fare vii
realize and how much will hav'
to be paid in wage and othel
money benefit increases befor,
any proposals to increase regu
lar fares can be made.
Really Puzzled
Capital Transit Counsel F. G
Await summed up the presen
status of the case yesterda,
when Chairman Hayes asked TO
his views on a resumption date.
Il am really puzzled what t,
say" Mr.. Await shrugged.
At any rate, he added, he will
prepare for cross examinin,
commission witnesses on thei
testimony to date in time for al
August 18 resumption.
The school fare increase wa!
recommended by Edward A
Roberts, engineering consultanr
retained by the District Public
Utilities Commission.
Mr.. Roberts made the sugges.
ton when the commission stat
asked his views in the light O
the final enactment last Tuesda,
Of legislation authorizing an in
crease in school fares up to one,
half of the adult fare. This il
now 20 cents per ride. Schoo
fares are 3 cents.
Mr.. Roberts specifically urget
a 7la per cent ride charge fo
school children. He pointed ou
that the average school far
among 30 large cities comes t,
one-half the amount charged
adult transit riders.
Calls 10 Cents Too Much.
He said. however, that h,
does not now favor q 10-cen
school fare in Washington sine
this amount would be more thai
three times greater than tn
present fare and would Great,
too muc hpublic resistance.
Figuring that each penny O
increase in this charge woult
produce $4,000 in additiona
passenger revenues. Mr.. Rob
erts estimated that the total ad
ditional revenues that would b,
realized by a 71a cent fare woul,
come to 100000 annually. TIL,
present three-cent chare
brings in 100000 gross annua
revenues.
Mr.. Roberts urged that a seri
Gus study be made of the posi-
bilities for adopting a system O
paying for mass transit rides OF
the basis Of distance travelled.
Cash Fares Compared
Mr.. Roberts, the third witnes
to take the stand since the com
mission staff began its direc
case yesterday. declined to stat
whether he favors a zone-far
system here. But, he pointe
out. a number of other cite
throughout the country hav
adopted it.
Elsewhere in his testimony i
the public hearing IN Capita
Transit Company's pre-strik
petition for fare increases, tn
consultant compared the presen
cash fares Of Capital Transi
with those Of 20 other larg
cities. The average charge pc
ride, he said. is a little NOR
than 1914 cents. Capital Tran
sits present cash fare, whicl