South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-09-25
JITNEY ORDINANCE
UP MONDAY NIGHT.
City Atty. Seebirt Prepares
Measure to Regulate
the Traffic.

Members Of the South Bend COM
mon council who have asked that a
more drastic ordinance regulating the
titney bus traffic than the one which
was recently discussed by that body,
be prepared, are IN receipt of the
latest bill from the pen Of City. Atty.
Eli +. Seehirt.
1t provides for a surety bond OF
$4,000 and a license fee ranging from
$40 to $50 a year, the latter figure
being governed by the power of the
automobile TO be used in the traffic.
The ordinance states that all applica-
tons for licenses must designate which
portion of the city the driver intends
TO operate his bus, and that he shall
adhere to the route as given in his ap-
plication until a desired change has
been granted him by the city council.
The city attorney stated Saturday
morning that he had endeavored 10
embOdy in the ordinance every idea eN-
pressed by council members at the
last meeting to embody in the ordin-
ance every idea expressed by council
members at the last meeting of the
committee of the whole, when the first
jitney bus ordinance was killed, and
instructions for u new one given. 1t
was held at that time that the regula-
ton of the jitney bus in South Bend
was imperative, and that drastic meas
ures were necessary.
Want Bonds Imposed.
Certain members of the council
agreed that a stringent ordinance
would injuIe the traffic, and would
have the effect OF driving some OF the
less responsible drivers completely
from the business. The fact that pas
sengers conveyed in jitney buses have
no means Of collecting damages for
accidents save through the medium of
the courts, was the most emphasized
factor in the argument for a bond
placed with the city.
According TO stipulatiOns made by
certain members Of the committee Of
the hole, the age limit was lowered
from p years To Is years. Drivers
are held to a regular schedule over the
route described in their license, begin
Mig at o'clock in the morning and
running until o'clock in the evening.
Any failure 10 maintain such a sched-
ule. according TO the ordinance shall
operate as a cancellation and remis-
sion of the license.
The seating capacity of a jitney
bus shall not be over-taNe6, accord
ing 10 the ordinance although the
driver is bound to convey all persons
who ask for conveyance until his
machine is filled. The jitney bus
driver will not be allowed TO "bally-
hoo" for his passengers since the or
dinance expressly states that the oper-
atOr shall not by means of loud noise
by voice. horn or bell or any other
means. solicit passengers. Violations
OF municipal and state traffic laws will
mean the revocation Of his jitney bus
license by the mayor.
Must BE Lighted.
All closed vehicles are ordered to
be lighted
The license fees shall be 500 for
cars of 25 horsepower or under; S25
for those between % and 80 horse
power and $50 for all over so horse
power. All licenses shall expire upon
Dec. 81 OF each year, and all secured
before Aug / shall be paid for at
the regular rate, while after that date.
the cost Will be cut in half.
One section OF the ordinance which
has caused considerable discussion is
that which demands that jitney bus
drivers shall sell six tickets for %
cents, and that each ticket be good
for one fare. 1t is not thought that
this viii meet with the approval OF
q majority of the council members
since the suggestion was made at a
recent meeting that the iitney buses.
as well as the street car company.
should regulate their fares among
themselves.
The new ordinance does not apply
10 owners of hveries and garages
where motor cars are kept for hire.
IL will come before the council at
its regular meeting Monday night.