Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-03
RESUME CONSIDERATION
OF J|TNEY ORDINANCE
Committee VIII Be Called by Chair
man Gunst Some Day
This Week.
MANY CITIES HAVE ACTED
Two States and n Score of Western
and Southern Municipalities Have
Passed Laws Requiring Jitneys to
Execute Indemnity Bonds.

Execute Indemnity Bonds.
Another attempt will be made this
week by the Council Committee on Or
dinances to arrive at a definite conclu-
sion in the matter OF regulating thu
1itney bus traffic. An ordinance. draft
ca by the City Attorney. and now on
the committee docket, seeks to rcgu-
late the business by Imposing a regu
lar annual license tax and reouirIng
each car engaged in the jitney traffic
/ TO execute bond for the protection OF
passengers injured through the negli-
gence of the chauffeur or owner.
at the last meeting OF the committee
| chairman Gunst served notice that ho
would call meeting OF the committee
as soon as the State Supreme Court an
nounced It's decision on the applica-
ton for an injunction to restrain tho
1itneys from using the streets of the
CITY without FIRST obtaining the consent
OF the municipal authorities
The injunction was denied several
days ago. Alderman Gunst said yester-
day that he hns withheld his call for
the meeting to await the receipt by tho
clerk OF the committee OF certain ordi-
nances adopted by other cities which
have undertaken to regulate the jitney
bus traffic. and that az soon rs these
come he would call the committee to.
gether. He thought that a meeting
would probably he held Wednesday or
| Thursday.
Since the Introduction OF the tenta-
| tive ordinance In the Council, moro
than month ago, more than n score OF
| western and Southern cities and States
have passed ordinances and Statewide
laws governing and regulating the tit
ney business. Practically without e1-
| ception these laws contain as centre,
features provisions levying license
| tax on each car and requiring from
each titney an indemnity bond ranging
In size from $4,000 to $4,000
The latest city to take action Is New
| Orleans. which, on last Tuesday adopt-
ed unanimously an amended titncy or
dinnnce requiring an indemnity bond
OF $4,000 for each car. Under the Ten
ncssee State law requiring a $4,000
bond OF each automobile engaged in
the passenger carrying business. Menu
pills has enforced this requirement. as
regards 200 jitneys In operation In that
city.
San Francisco. where the jitney Is
| almost year old. after studying the
problem In all It's aspects, has passed
an ordinance declaring the jitney to bo
n common carrier for purposes OF mu-
nfctpal regulation, and requiring each
5itney car to execute n bond for $4,000
| conditioned that he will pay all loss
or damage that may result to any per-
son property from the Negligent
OF said jltney bus. or which may arise
or result from any violation OF any
provisions Of this ordinance or the laws
of the State OF California"
The same ordinance levles a license
tax OF $40 year on each jitney bus
capable OF seating five or less passen-
gers. SIS for cars seating more than
| five and less than eight, $25 for cars
seating more than seven and less than
sixteen. and $40 for each jitney seat.
ing more than fifteen passengers.
Each driver Is required by the San
Francisco ordinance to have had thirty
days experience in operating automo-
biles over the streets Of the city and
county. and must pass an oral examina-
tion rs to the knowledge OF the city
and county traffic laws.
Richmond jitney bus men have I'M
officially expressed their willingness to
submit to what they call reasonable
regulation" Through their attorneys
[ however. they have registered their OBJ
lection to any form OF indemnity bond
claiming that bonding requirement
would have the effect of putting them
out OF business for the reason that
surety companies have refused to &C
| cept jitney risks.
4 The latter claim, it appears, stands
In need of modification. Ihe Insurance
Field, in It's current casualty and
surety edition, notes the fact that in
ualty company OF national standing
has written 160 jitncy bonds of $4,000
each. Mt monthly premium Of s1375
| for each five passenger car. Several
OF these bonds, 1t is reported by tho
same journal. were cancelled by the
! company on account of overlooking
and permitting passengers to ride on
the running board
| The State Of Tennessee requires
| $4,000 bond of every automobile in the
| Commonwealth carrying passengers for
! hire, and the state Of Washington has
! passed a law requiring each jitney bus
to execute IN indemnity bond OF $4,000
Among tho score or more OF cities
with bonding requirements, arc the fol-
| lowing:
Houston. Tex. $4,000 bond; Salt
Lake City. $1,000 bond; Fresno, Cal,
$4,000 bond Los Angeles. $4,000
bond; Spokane. Wash, $4,000 bond;
Seattle, $4,000 bond: Oakland, Cal.
$4,000 bond; Fargo. n D., $40, 900 bond
! for not exceeding two busses and $780,
600 bond for each additional bus; Fort
Worth, Tex. $4,000 bond: Atlanta.
$4,000 bond: Gadsden. Ala, $4,000 bond !:
San Francisco. $4,000 bond; Little
Rock. Ark. $4,000 bond; Buffalo, NJ y.
$4,000 for first vehicle and 81, 900 bond
for each additional vehicle: Ell Paso,
! Tex, $4,000 for less than six cars, $780,
600 for six cars and less than ten cars,
and $4,000 for ten cars or more:
Louisville, Ky. $1,000 bond; Tuscon,
Ari. S2.500 bond: Waco. Tex, $4,000 to
$4,000, according to size OF vehicle:
and Rock Island, ILL.,, $4,000 for not
more than two cars and $4,000 bonds
for moro than two cars.