J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                     1411

(b)    Any signatory, any political subdivision thereof, any agency
of the Federal Government and any person, firm or association served
by or using the transit facilities of the Authority and any private
carrier may file a request with the Board for a hearing with respect
to any rates or charges made by the Board or any service rendered
with the facilities owned OR CONTROLLED by the Authority. Such
request shall be in writing, shall state the matter on which a hearing
is requested and shall set forth clearly the matters and things on which
the request relies. As promptly as possible after such a request is filed,
the Board, or such officer or employee as it may designate, shall
confer with the protestant with respect to the matters complained
of. After such conference, the Board, if it deems the matter meri-
torious and of general significance, may call a hearing with respect
to such request.

(c)    The Board shall give at least thirty days' notice for all
hearings. The notice shall be given by publication in a newspaper
of daily circulation throughout the Zone and such notice shall be
published once a week for two successive weeks. The notice shall
start with the day of first publication. In addition, the Board, shall
post notices of the hearing in its offices, all stations and terminals
and in all of its vehicles and rolling stock in revenue service.

(d)    Prior to calling a hearing on any matter specified in this
section, the Board shall prepare and file at its main office and keep
open for public inspection its report relating to the proposed action
to be considered at such hearing. Upon receipt by the Board of any
report submitted by WMATC, in connection with a matter set for
hearing, pursuant to the provisions of Section 317-63 of this Article
XIII, the Board shall file such report at its main office and make it
available for public inspection. For hearings called by the Board
pursuant to paragraph (b), above, the Board also shall cause to be
lodged and kept open for public inspection the written request upon
which the hearing is granted and all documents filed in support
thereof.

317-63. Reference of Matters to WMATC—

To facilitate the attainment of the public policy objectives for
operation of the publicly and privately owned OR CONTROLLED
transit facilities as stated in Article XII, Section 317-55, prior to the
hearings provided for by Section 317-62 hereof—

(a)   The Board shall refer to WMATC for its consideration and
recommendations, any matter which the Board considers may affect
the operation of the publicly and privately owned OR CONTROLLED
transit facilities as a coordinated regional transit system and any
matter for which the Board has called a hearing, pursuant to Section
317-62 of this Article XIII, except that temporary or emergency
changes in matters affecting service shall not be referred; and

(b)    WMATC, upon such reference of any matter to it, shall give
the referred matter preference over any other matters pending be-
fore it and shall, as expeditiously as practicable, prepare and trans-
mit its report thereon to the Board. The Board may request WMATC
to reconsider any part of its report or to make any supplemental
reports it deems necessary. All of such reports shall be advisory only.