Evening star., 1960-10-16
ChaIkSays BusCurb
Means Higher Fares
Plans to Fight
P. P.U.C. Order
On Sightseeing
BY GILBERT GINIBLE
Star Stan Writer

limiting his use OF air-condi-
toned buses for the charter and
sightseeing trade may lead to
higher fares.
The D. C. Transit System
president said he might have
to ask for a higher fare from
those who want to ride on air
conditioned buses.
The PUG told Mr.. Chalk
on Thursday that he will be
limited to using only 80 of his
regular fleet Of air-conditioned
vehicles for the sightseeing and
charter business.
This, Mr.. Chalk said, is in
terference with private man
agement and is unconstitu-
tional.
The PUG studied the
problem for six months, said
Harold A. Kertz, acting PUG
chairman. Its investigation
showed that in April and May
charter and sightseeing opera
tionS were serviced by a
comparatively high percentage
lof the aforementioned fleet"
Mr.. Chalk said the air con-
ditioning wasn't turned on
until June / anyway.
Fair to Commuters
Mr.. Kertz said the new
order is a reasonable one. He
points out that the directive
will mean mass-transit riders
will get more of a chance to
ride on aforementioned buses
and "in the final analysis, these
are the riders who have paid
for the new equipment"
Mr.. Kertz said that although
he feels Mr.. Chalk has pro-
vided Washington with "the
best bus transportation system
in the country" he should be
required to give the regular
riders the best equipment the
company has.
In his statement, Mr.. Chalk
charged that the ceiling on use
of air-conditioned buses will
mean many of them will re-
main idle in garages during
of-peak hours.
Such action" Mr.. Chalk
said, will inevitably lead to
losses for the company and a
\ resultant higher fare to the
riding public - higher fares
than those already requested"
The company is now asking
4 the P. u q ~ grant it a fare
4 increase y wants permission
Ito charge riders 95 cents for
four tokens, compared to the
current five tokens for 81.
Mr.. Chalk said he has not yet
made UP his mind whether to
ask for a fare increase on air
conditioned buses. He said one
factor that will be considered
is what the PUG. does with
his present fare request. He
added that other cities are
charging from 5 to 10 cents
more for air-conditioned rides.
| He said he will fight the
PUG. directive "in the courts,
in the Congress or even at the
White House IL necessary" He
tsaid he has not made up his
mind which avenue of action he
will choose.
Mr.. Chalk charged that the
PUG. "iS trying to slug me for
trying to do my best"
Despite the directive, he said,
D. c. Transit will continue Ito
be progressive and move for
ward as q company, but we
want public officials to help us,
not discourage U.S."
Under Rivals Attack
Mr.. Chalk's sightseeing and
charter bus operations have
long been under attack by
other sightseeing groups here,
who have charged his mass
transit operations give D. C.
Transit an unfair competitive
advantage over them.
Mr.. Chalk yesterday ques-
toned whether Mr.. Kertz was
now siding with those who have
opposed his sightseeing opera
tions.
But Mr.. Kertz said he has
always felt. and still does, that
D. c. Transit should be per-
mitted to use its equipment and
manpower to earn revenue
through the sightseeing and
charter business, as long as it
does not hurt service for the
mass-transit riders.
1--WE received many COM
plants, however," Mr.. Kertz
said, from riders who said
they would be riding eight
year-old buses and be passed
by aforementioned buses carry
ing sightseeing groups"
II had hoped for the past
several months" Mr.. Chalk
said. that we could get along.
But we have been sniped at
mercilessly on petty things. It
has turned out that when you
show you're nice they interpret
this as weakness. I guess I've
got to draw a line like
Quemoy."