Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-12
HEARING PLANNED
ON BUS PROGRAM
"For Hire" Car Order Sched-
uIed to Go Into Effect
in January.


hold a public hearing at 10 am. De-
cember is to consider the most detailed
and far-reaching scheme of regulating
all motor vehicles operated for hire
within the District of Columbia ever
taken up by that body.
At the hearing a tentative order, 10
pages long, governing in detail the OPP
Grafton, charges and insurance of all
such motor vehicles will be considered
The order will go into effect January
/, 1890, unless as result of the hear
ing, the commission should decline 10
change any of its features.
Most important among the nine sec
lions into which the order Is divided IS
that dealing with financial responsible
con by the commission for years.
The full text OF the order on this
subject is as follows:
mo person, firm or corporation shall
operate any motor vehicle as herein de-
fined unless until the person, firm or
corporation shall
"1l File with the commission
sworn statement showing the. ability
Of the person, etc, to pay all damages
accidents due to the negligent use or
operation of such vehicle; or,
"(2l File with the commission Sc
curity. indemnity or q bond. guaran-
teeing the payment by the person. etc,
Of ali such damages, or
"(3) Insure to reasonable amount
the persons, etc, liability to pay such
damages; and unless the person. etc.,
"(l) File with the commission as
often as the commission shall In WrtI-
ing demand, in form prescribed py the
commission. evidence Aof the persons,
etc, compliance with the provisions OF
this section.
mo motor vehicle company shall con-
tract for insurance covering tnen OPP
pration in the District OF Columbia 1or
q less period than IL months unless au-
Khorized in writing by the commission.
dThe sworn statement OF hnanclal
ability, security indemnity, bond or
amount of insurance shall be subject 10
the approval of the commission.
Failure to make satisfactory proof OF
ability to respond in damages Tor IN
juries caused by the operation OF motor
vehicles or failure to maintain sucn
ability at all times shall be deemed
cause for prompt cancellation Oh the
permit to operate"
. THE commissions order will apply
only to those vehicles operating for hire,
and the term motor vehicle" Is Defined
In the preamble TO the order, which fol-
lows: -.
van, motor cab or motor bus operated
for public use for the conveyance OF
persons or property within the District
of Columbia for hire other than motor
buses operated over defined routes
Commissioner Harleigh H. Hartman,
In discussing the order, said today that
the commission has for years possessed
the power to pass the regulations named
in the order but that it has confined ltS
activities in this direction solely to mo-
tor bus lines operating between hxed
terminals This order, he said, would
simply extend the regulation to all other
classes of common carrier vehlcles,
operating for hire. This would include
sightseeing busseS, taxicabs, moving
vans, express companies, and the ike.
The order provides that no cab, bus
or truck which is not in good enough
condition to go IS miles per hour over
q smooth, level street when fully loaded
will be allowed to operate. In addition
to this there are many detailed regu.a-
lions as to head lights, tail lights.
marker lights, horns, heaters for cabs
during the Winter, and the like.
The commissions orders are very par
ticular as to noise. The horn which
the motor vehicles shall carry shall be
electrically equipped and shall produce
IAN abrupt sound adequate to warn OF
the approach OF the motor vehicle. but
not unnecessarily loud or discordant. /"
In another place, the order provides
that every motor vehicle shall be so
constructed as to reduce to minimum
the noise and the vibration incident
to its operation.
None of the motor vehicles are to
be placed in operation until the COM
mission has approved plans and speci.
fications for their construction, and
after such approval no. material change
In equipment, plan or arrangement
will be allowed without written permis-
sion from the commission.
No motor vehicle coming within the
order shall be operated except on writ
ten authority from the commission, and
no motor vehicle company shall begin
or continue operations without filing its
fare schedule with the commission and
obtaining approval for it.
Strict regulations are drawn UP re-
garding the class of persons who shall
be allowed to drive the motor vehicles
coming under the order. Nobody will
be allowed to drive these vehicles who
is less than 18 years of age, who is
addicted to narcotics or liquor, who is
not of good moral character, who is
mentally or physically incapacitated,
who is not an experienced operator, or
who has not obtained an operators
permit. Mr. Hartman explained that
the requirement of good moral charac-
ter meant that the driver must not
have been guilty of such an offense as
resulted In the loss of citizenship. He
said this was the Interpretation usually
placed on the words by the courts.
The commission intends to set up
rates of fare to be charged by all serv-
ices mentioned and one section of the
order prescribes that no operator or
company shall charge any fare other
than that prescribed or approved by the
commission.