Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-17
DIME TAXI SERVICE
WILL GET HEARING
Public Utilities Commission
Denies 1t Opposed TO-
Cent Rides.

The Public Utilities Commission to-
day announced that it viii call pub
lie hearing on its own initiative al
an appropriate time" to consider the
need for a cheap fiat-rate rtlsh-hour
taxicab service for Washington such
as the Diamond cabs introduced and
temporarily suspended after four days
of operation
The commission made known its plan
in letter addressed to the Diamond
Cab Co, which apparently is INTENDED
FOR the independent Taxi Owners AS
ISOLATION. SINCE there is no company by
that name The operators OF the Dia-
nlond tayis who furnished the short
lived iitney service are members OF the
independent Taxi Owners Association,
of which Harry c. Davis Is general
manager. =.
The commission in the letter dis
claimed any responsibility for the
furore stirred up in pubic Utilities CIT
cles over the unusual taxicab service,
and pointed out that while considerable
Thought and attention had, been given
the venture, 1t had formed no opinion
whatsoever on the merits OF the case.
The commission did state, however.
that it has finally decided that there
is no question but that 1t has fuli au-
tl1oritv and jurisdiction over the service.
The letter follows:
The Public Utilities Commission has
received YOUR letter of even date. waere-
in YOU advise that you are temporarily
stfs,endinC the rush-hour service m
a,iQllrated By you a few days ago from
various established hackstands to down.
town Government buildings, which ser6,
ice was started without the approVal
of this commission.
I'm this letter referred 10 you MAKE
the statement that you are Temporarily
suspending this Decent rusn-hour serV,
ice in accordance with your Request.
we wish to state that this commission
has made no request to you to discon-
t;nue this service. and does not now
make such a request You also state
that while you did not recognize the
jurisdiction of this commission, you
wrote your original letter advising the
commission of the proposed plan ana
asking the commission II there were
any objections TO the new venture, nuc
that for some reason unknown 10 US
the commission did not communicate
such objection TO you, SO Tar as We
kTlow there is no reason why this COM
mission should advise you of any obJec-
tons which might be filed against your
plans other than those which WDuiu
come to US at formal public nearing
in response to your application Tor per-
nit to inaugurate such service.
The commission, while II mas given
this matter considerable thought ano
attention. has formed no opinion what
soever of the merits OF the case, as 10
It's benefits or otherwise TO the pupnc
of washington. but holds itself IN reaoi-
ness to form such an opinion ana issue
an appropriate order upon same aIter
all the facts and circumstances are
made clear to 1t through public near
ing in the manner prescribed by law.
when such a hearing Is had, all
those opposed to your plan would De
heard and also any of the public VINO
are favorable to 1t, and only after SUCH
a full and complete presentation mas
been made could the commission form
its own opinion and SO make its de-
cision accordingly Furthermore, any
reports which might have been MADE
public through the press indicating that
the commission anticipated making ar
rests In the case have In no instance
originated in this Office.
THE commission, at It's meeting TO-
day has decided, with the ADVICE OF
counsel, that there is no question but
that the commission has full authority
and jurisdiction In the premises and
has determined at an appropriate time
in the future To call public hearing
on its own initiative at which time the
commission viii go into the entire ques-
ton OF the need of such a service as
you or others might wish 10 institute
and viii also at that time decide
whether or not TO take over active con-
troll and jurisdiction of your company
as well as Of the other passenger We
Elicles for hire in the District OF Co
lumbia."