Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
Rates Go Up
For Interstate
Riders Sunday
BY DAN GOTTLIEB
Star Staff Writer

buses will be increased for Dis
trict and interstate riders and
reduced for Maryland riders
starting Sunday, the Washing
ton Metropolitan Area Transit
Commission announced today.
The commission approved the
following fare changes, which
it said would leave the COM
pany with less than reasonable
profits:
A Scent increase for riders
within the District. The present
20-cent token is eliminated and
the present 25-oent cash fare
will be charged all adult riders.
A scent increase in the cash
fare for riders between Mary
land (the company serves only
Southern Prince GEORGES
County, and the District. Riders
purchasing tokens to be sold at
four for 10 cents, or TN cents
each, will have to pay only 2la
cents more (from the first zone
in Maryland, fer instance, the
cash fare will be As cents and
the token" fare 25 cents cash
plus a token or 421a cents.
Only Two Zones
A reduction for "the majority
Of passengers travelling within
Maryland" ranging up to is
cents. This will come about
from a reduction in the number
of zones from six to two. The
basic fare will be IS cents for
the first zone and 10 cents extra
when crossing into the second
zone. The zone dividing lines
are the Capitol Beltway on the
east and south and Sheriff
road on the north.
The transit commission re-
jected the company's request
for a scent increase in the
interline ticket, which is sold
for IS cents to passengers de-
string to transfer between the
buses of different companies in
the Metropolitan Area. It also
rejected a request for a second
stage increase in the Mary
land-District interstate fares,
which would have taken effect
next January.
In addition to fares, the
commissions order released
today dealt with the company's
service and depreciation rates.
1t directed the company to
make a detailed study for a
plan to improve the mechanical
and physical condition of its
buses and to improve service,
particularly during evening
rush hours.
Order Unanimous
The order was concurred in
unanimously by all three COM
mission members, according to
Charles w. Overhouse, chief
engineer. He said he showed
the order yesterday to the new
ly-appointed District member,
Engineer Commissioner Charles
M. Duke. The Districts position
on the area body had been va
cant since July 8.
The order explained that
'basically the company's re-
quest for new rates must be
granted" 1t noted that a COM
pany vice president told the
commission it is willing to op-
crate at less than a reasonable
rate Of return, rather than in
crease fares to such a level that
permanent damage may result
in its relations with its passen-
gers" -.
The comission estimated the
return or rate Of profit on OPP
Grating revenues would be about
% per cent under the new
fares, which are designed to in
crease revenues by about $40,-
900 annually.
No Protests Registered
The company justified its
request for reductions in Mary
land and increases in the Dis.
trict as necessary to correct
extreme inequities." The same
length rides within the Dis
trict and within Maryland re-
suited in varying fares, the
commission was told.
Under the old intra- Mary
land rates, the basic fare was
20 cents for the first zone plus
10 cents for the second plus
five cents for each zone there
after. The maximum for six
zones was so cents. Under the
new fares. the same trip will
cost 35 cents.
No formal protests to the
company's proposed fares were
registered at a public hearing
before the commission last
July Is.
Breakdown Given
The commissions staff estl.
mated that. under the fares
approved, the company's an
nual paid passengers woulc
break down as follows:
Interstate, cash and token,
$4,000 riders; intra- District,
$4,000 riders: intra- Maryland,
$4,000 riders. and interline,
$4,000 riders.
The company only has limited
discharge and pickup rights
within the District. Its routes
through Southeast Washington
TO its downtown terminal or
Eleventh street Just north Of
Pennsylvania avenue NV. fols
low some Of d. C. Transit
Systems routes. d. c. Transit's
token fare OF 2lh cents viii
now be cheaper than the Is.
cent cash fare TO be charged In
the District on VIVA buses.