The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04

taxicab, is the meter. because YOU
pay by 1t. And, says Mr.. Hertz, the
driver who is paid on a commission
basis gagged by the fares collected.
formerly encouraged joy riding in
every possible way, even to driving
round and round the block while you
waited. But he doesn't do ii now,
Mr.. Hertz says.
Its new system" he explained.
1--WE have had it in Chicago for a year.
and we are putting 1t right in opera
ton here. 1t is an absolute guarantee
that the passenger will not be 'stung.'
All he has to do is to look at his
side of the meter when he gets into
the car, make sure that it does not
register anything, and then look at
1t when he gets out, and pay the
amount registered. We do the rest"
With the meter, of course.
The system works something like
this:
You call for a taxicab. 1t runs
from the garage on dead" mileage:
that is, the meter registers only on
the total record, not affecting the
passenger mileage. You get in.
The chauffeur turns down red metal
flag attached to the meter. and from
then on you pay by the mile while
you're going and by the minute while
you're standing still-for there's
clock inside. When you are through
with the taxicab you look at your side
OF the meter-as if you hadn't kept
your eyes glued to it the whole trip
and you pay the amount shown,
sixty cents for the first mile ten
cents for quarter mile for additional
distance and ten cents for four min
utes when you leave the taxicab stand.
ing still and get out to buy cigar or
to telephone.
AS soon as the taxicab is called the
time it leaves the garge is taken. A
reasonable period is given the driver
to report. Then a ticket is made out,
recording the passenger, destination
and so on, and this ticket is stamped
with the time of departure. When the
driver comes back the return time is
stamped, and he has to account by
his meter readings for the distance
travelled and any time he may have
lost on the way.
1t won't do as was once the case,
for the driver to stick up" an mex
perienced passenger with Jaw, me
meter amt workin,' but you owe me
So" If his meter Is not working he
is not allowed to carry passengers,
and is not authorized to collect any
fare at all. The meter is adjusted and
sealed, and there is no way of mon
keying with it. So the proper answer
to the mot workin'-$6" racket is not
to pay anything. The company will
back you up and the driver will pay
the freight.
About the only way left for the
driver to collect more fare than you
have driven miles is for him to neg
left to pull the red lever at the end
of his last trip. For instance, IL Mr..
Jones has driven a dollars worth.
if the flag isn't pulled back when you
get in and start out, your fare will
amount to your own mileage plus the
dollar remaining in the "workins of
the meter. You have to watch for a
clean slate when you start; that's
all.
Every stage of travel by the car
from garage to passenger, thence to
destination, thence back on dead"
mileage to the stater-is timed care
fully, measured and recorded by the
meter, working in harmony with the
clock at the central station.
All you have to do is to get in,
ride, watch the meter and pay.
And you'll watch the meter, all
right. See if you don't.