Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 9, 1993 TAG: 9311090052
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
RICHMOND - A State Corporation Commission hearing examiner has recommended approval by the commission of proposed rules that limit how much private pay phone providers can charge for calls within Virginia.
Rates for local calls may not exceed rates charged by the local telephone company including charges for operator assistance, the proposed rules say. Additionally, private providers may not charge more than $1 over rates approved for the local phone company for long-distance calls within a local long-distance calling area
Other new rules would require free access to an operator and 911 emergency numbers and access to other phone company networks through their access numbers.
The purpose of opening the pay telephone market to competition was to provide benefits to the public, not to provide additional revenue opportunities to providers, said hearing officer Howard Anderson Jr. - Staff report
\ Weekly rail traffic shows an increase
Rail traffic, which has been a historic indicator of U.S. economic activity, was on the increase last week.
Rail movement of new automobiles, lumber, metal products and intermodal shipments all rose substantially, The Association of American Railroads reported. Intermodal shipments are those that move by both rail and truck.
New automobiles and trucks shipped by train increased by 11.3 percent over the same week a year ago. Lumber shipments were up 9.7 percent, metal products 19.2 percent and intermodal loadings of merchandise 8.4 percent.
"As the nation's economy is improving, railroads are increasing their share of many key commodities, reinforcing the fact that an economic turnaround in in progress," said Edwin L. Harper, president and chief executive of the rail association. - Staff report
by CNB