Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-16
Drivers Act on Request by
Public Utilities Body, Which
Studies Problem.
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION
is CONTAINED IN LETTER
Manager Davis Fails to Indicate
Future Course-Venture
Believed Failure.

The Diamond taxicabs today sud-
denly suspended temporarily the expert
nent with 10-cent nat rate rush hour
service for Government workers after
four days of operation and waved the
white flag Of truce at the Public Util-
tiles Commission, which has been
searching for some legal weapon to
force them to get formal approval Of
the plan.
The taxi drivers, according to- Harry
c. Davis, their general manager, acted
upon the request of the commission,
which notified them through counsel
that it desired to make study Of the
advisability Of such service and also
because of an erroneous impression that
they were openly defying the consti-
tuted authorities.
Davis Writes Commission.
Davis announced the temporary halt
in the short-lived jitney service In q
formal letter to the Utilities Comnlis-
sion, in which he expressed the desire
Of the Diamond drivers to maintain q
policy of cooperation with administra-
tive oficiais Of the District. The letter
was received at the commission shortly
after it had convened to consider plans
to compel the taxi operators to take
this action without compulsion. =
Davis did not indicate what the fl-
ture course Of the taxi drivers would
be should the commission decide that
the jitney service Is an unnecessary
adjunct to Washington's transportation
system.
The action of the drivers did not
come as q surprise to those who had
observed closely the operation since its
inception last Thursday. In fact, some
DISTRICT oflcials had predicted its coll
lapse. The business done On the jitney
routes, IN the first place, did not reach
the proportions anticipated. and, sec
ondly. there developed lack Of CO.
ordination and cooperation among the
drivers which made the service un-
dependable. For instance. on Satur-
day. when heavy downpour of rain
II the morning rush hour created The
frst real test nf TIE - .'i<E X
: the sc<<1ce SoIlIe 81 f1l< u 81 u J u s5st/ u
the ttney routes to carry more profit
able fares.
Text Of Davis Letter.
Davis letter 10 the commission fol-
lows:
.'on behalf OF the Diamond Cab own
ers, permit me TO advise you that, In
accordance with your request, Diamond
cabs win temporarily suspend the 10
cent rush hour service inaugurated by
them pending study by you Of the ad-
visibility Of such service.
The impression has apparently been
formed that this organisation was OPEN
" defying the commission. This is an
erroneous impression.
The 10-cent rush hour service was
inaugurated without formal application
having been made to the commission
for the reason that the Diamond cab
owners have been advised and still
maintain that the commission has no
jurisdiction N the premises While
formal application was not made 10 the
of cooperation and desire for proper
guidance. wrote letter to the commis-
sion week or more before placing the
Diamond cabs ut the disposal Of the
public at the lO-cent rush hour rate,
advising the commission Of the pro-
posed plan and asking the commission
there were any objections to the new
venture, IN order that the Diamond cab
owners might consider such objections
had there been any, but for some rea-
SON unknown 10 us the commission did
not communicate to us any objections
to operating same. From press reports
1t would appear that the commission
has no objections to this service, but
the railway companies and bus COM
panies seem to be the complainants.
and should have been the proper par
ties to ask for hearing or institute
legal proceedings In the premises if
they were lawfully injured BY this serv
ice.
Refers TO Report.
The press has quoted the commits
sion as saying that arrests wiz be naade
of the Diamond cab owners In the event
they continue what they believe to be \
real service to the public.
since the organization Of the Dia-
mond cab owners they have maintained
3 policy Of cooperation with the adj
ministrative officials Of the District OF
Columbia. and 1t Is their desire 10 con-
ttnue these cooperative relations with
the officiais. and as heretofore stated.
they viii temporarily suspend their 10
cent rush hour service. pending a
thorough study by the commission OF
the adviSahility Of such service.
The hearty response BY the public.
as shown by the steady increase or pa
irons. clearly indicates that such sery.
Ice Is needed and desired In this cit,
by the public"