Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1960-01-28
Mr.. choIk's Visit

"A /ITH only one exception, y. Roy Chalk ducked,
wv bobbed and weaved and gave the Montgomery
County Council the benefit of specifics during his APP
pearance before it last Friday
That exception came when obviously stung by
mark made by Mrs Stella B. Werner Chalk got down to
brass ack and said fatty that he expected at least 25 per
cent of the buses he will operate inaly in Montgomery
County-when he gets the franchse-wl be air condi-
toned That's specific That's fine! The people of Mont
goery County have been promised by Bus Magnate
Roy Chalk that out of every four buses they ride
here will be air conditioned Beyond that they have moth
ing to go on.
have been assured that Mr. Chalk has improved the
ice there somewhat since he took the rundown Capital
Transit from his predecessor Mr. Louis Wofson At least
Mr. Chalk thinks he has made substantial improvements
Pointing with pride at his record of achievement in the
District Mr. Chalk takes the position that Montgomery
County should accept him that record-and faith
This seems to us, is strange way to operate when
the stakes high the adequacy of public ranspor
taton in community of 100000 persons!
The unacceptable conclusion after watching the per-
Torrance of Mr. Roy Chalk and his aides last Friday
that D. c. Transit has made concrete specific plans
whatsoever far Montgomery County is concerned
Yet they already well along the way in the cruciay
important business of taking public transportation in
Montgomery County.
Formal applications have been made to the Interstate
Commerce Commission, the Maryland Public Service Com
mission and the District Public Utilities Commission 1t
highly likely that these petitions will receive pro
foma approval from these regulatory agencies And then
Montgomery County will be in Mr. Chaks pocket. We
only nope tnat viii Deneflt the county, ConcelVaDly II
could There who say public transportation here
couldn't be much But it could be- of course much
worse.
Probably assured of the present level of serv-
Ice when Mr. Chalk takes And doubt there will
be Improvement in service. How much remains to
be Certainly Mr.. Chalk himself does not know. Or
If he does, he is not talking
We have said in this space beforehand here repeat
that it is too bad D. c. Transit has voluntarily done
preliminary work what Montgomery County needs
in the way of transportation and what D. c. Transit in
position to offer They could do this with if they
would bestir themselves The people here-a $4,000
of theand it is fairly easy to where the roads and
streets and houses if one will but look bus firm de-
serving the is presumably expert the subject of
what peoples bus riding habits they could easily
find out through todays highly effective public opinion
samnlng technques BY the TOKEN it is douby too
bad that the regulatory agencies aren't going to ask Mr.
Chalk what his expansion plans and his
a factor in granting or denying the franchise.
Unless someone is successful than was the cou1-
ty council the other day in getting specifics from Mr. Chalk
we are apparently doomed to be completely unenghtened
the subject of what the future has store for us as
far buses concerned This pretty dismal state of
affairs but one which we are-by now-not exactly
accustomed to.