Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-15
CRISIS IN CAB WAR
SEEN This WEEK
Utilities Commission May De-
eide on Course of Action
at Meeting Tomorrow.

The conflict between the Public IT'LL
tiles Commission and the operators of
the 100 Diamond taXicabS who three
days ago introduced Washington to an
unauthorized 1o-cent flat-rate rush.
hour taxi service will come to a head
early this week
The commission will meet tomorrow
to consider whether it should take a
new course OF action to compel the
cab drivers to seek its approval of the
venture. since the original plan OF hav-
Inc them show cause why they started
the common carrier operation with
out formal sanction has been tenta-
lively abandoned. The taxi men. in
thc meantime. propose to effect better
organization With a view TO giving
standard. dependable service every
morning of the week between and
3 O'Clock.
Would Ignore System.
What step the commission now has
ir contemplation is a subject OF con-
lecture, but ii likely Will follow the
surp aStion of its new legal adviser.
Ringgold Hart. acting corporation coun-
sci in the absence of William W. Bride,
that hearing be held for the purpose
OF determining whether the volume and
the character OF the business done oy
While all of the Districts legal rep
ressntatives have agreed that the taxi,
operators are wrong in their belief that
the commission lacks jurisdiction over
them. the commission has not yet oen-
nitelv asserted that authority, and Mr..
Hart seems to feel that 1t should not
even make this move unless the caps
increase their business TO such an ex-
tent that they become real factor IN
washingtons transportation system
Rieht now Mr.. Hart believes the COM
mission would be wise in ignoring the
cab operators. taking the view that
thoir 5itney business has been practi-
cally negligible.
To Perfect Service.
On the other hand. Harry c. Davis,
the head of the Diamond drivers, while
admitting that the venture has not
come no to his early expectations, due
chiefly to the haste in inaugurating the
jitney service, is laying plans TO remedy
these defects. Certain details were
baen considered Before the service was
started. One of these. he pointed out,
was the failure to adopt q code OF
ethics and a definite plan OF organi-
cation for drivers Of the 100 cabs who
pledged 10 run the jitney routes, the
lack of which caused an irregularity IN
the service yesterday when a downpour
during the rush hour created an unex-
pscted demand for the cabs and caused
seine of the drivers to abandon the tit-
ney routes for more remunerative
meter-fare passengers.
To preclude a repetition of this sit
nation, Davis said he Is considering
the formulation of a special set of
Hr1HNYG
which will require them to operate the
iO-cent service regularly and prescribe
a fine for those who take down the
1o-cent fare signs at the approach Of
q meter fare patron.
May Add IS Cabs.
Davis also revealed that the commits
sion's announcement that the drivers
would be liable to fine Of $500 should
the commission assert its jurisdiction
over them and charge them with OPP
Grating in violation Of a section OF the
public utilities act. has served TO
ney routes However, he said, there
are others willing TO take their places,
and If business shows signs Of increas-
ing about rs more cabs win be added
to the service and new routes started.
The first three days of operation,
likewise. has shown Davis the need Of
running the cabs on each OF the IL
stands to several different destinations.
Now all of the jitney cabs on single
stand 90 to the same downtown
terminal, and as a result their field OF
service is limited in each community.
For instance, the taxis at Dupont Ctr
Gle go only TO Twenty first and B
streets and vicinity, and the drivers
there have reported that they turned
away on numerous occasions, pfo6pec-
tive patrons who wanted to be taken
10 the Treasury Department for 10
cents.
Since their appeal TO the utilities
commission last Wednesday TO protect
them from unfair competition" Of the
iO-cent taxi service, officials CT the
transit companies have been CLOSELY
observing the developments, but have
made no further move.