The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-05-13
See NEED Of REGULATION HERE
Men Who Drive New Form of Convey
ances Tired Waiting For City and
State to Act-May Follow the Plan
Of the Milwaukee Jitney Drivers

Tired of waiting for the city to reg
ulate the handling of jitney buses the
drivers of these vehicles have decided
to make their own regulations and on
Tuesday night twenty-five drivers of
1itneys in Kenosha met at Socialist
Hall and organized the Kenosha Jlt-
ney Bus Driver Is Union. The new or
ganization is not as yet fully complet-
ed but it is expected that every driver
of this sort Of vehicle in Kenosha
will be affiliated with It, The union
is to be affiliated with the Jitney Union
recently organized in Milwaukee and
two of the members Of that organiza-
ton came to Kenosha to counsel with
the local drivers in perfecting the or
ganization here. The local men seem
| ed to be enthusiastic over the prob
lem of organization.
eve feel deeply the need of regula-
tion of jitney busses,' said one of the
leaders at the meeting. eth ques-
ton has been before the city council
and it is now declared to be before the
state legislature, but we have no rea-
son to believe that either Of these
bodies will act We are seeking first
of all the protection of the men-and
women too-Who are driving jitneys in
Kenosha. We believe that the business
should be properly regulated and that
the drivers are the best able to reg
ulate it. The business has been good
in Kenosha, but not nearly as good as
some people have declared. On ac-
count of the demand for it there have
been many Objectionable features de-
veloped. Boys and even young girls
have gone out to run jitneys and they
have paid little attention to the safe
| ty of the people. We believe that
proper regulations placed upon drivers
by the organization will do as much
to regulate iitneys as the passing of
ordinances or state laws. 1t is begin
ming to look as if the jitney has pass
ed the fad stage and with the certain
| ty of big future for it, we want some
assurances of proper regulation. Then
| there is the question of mutual La
bility insurance which has already
been taken up by the Milwaukee or
| ganization which I believe was the
parent organization among the jitney
| drivers. This is one of the big ques-
| tions of the business. IF we can work
out plan TO insure our own members
against loss from accident it would be
great help. There is no intention on
the part of the organization to regu-
late rates of fare. These have been
pretty well established at the five cent
rate and the question of amounts to be
charged for fares did not come up for
discussion during the meeting on Tues
day evening. The proposed union can
be properly ciassed as a "Safety
First" movement in every way. We
have no fight with the railway com
pany or the drivers of taxicabs or car
riages, but we believe that our bust
ness is one that appeals to the people
and we wait an organization in order
to properly protect the men who are
giving all tf their time to furnishing
this kind of transportation in Keno
sha. There is no desire to shut out any
one from driving a jitney so long as
he or she is a proper person to be
trusted with the safety of the pas
sengers.