Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-05
D. c. AND maryland
IN TRUCK TAG WAR
State Public Service Board
Wants All Vehicles to
Bear Its License.

n controversy CONCERNING Tic ucCCc-
sity for all Washington-owned automo-
bile trucks operating in Maryland OBJ
tanning Maryland license tags has been
precipitated during the past few days
through an attempt on the part of the
Maryland motor vehicle commissioner S
Office to compel several large local truck
companies to obtain Maryland markers.
The companies involved, 1t is said,
operate fleets of trucks regularly be-
tween Washington and Baltiomre, Fred
erick or some other Maryland town.
Such trucks, the commissioners office
contends are common carriers engaged
In interstate business, and under the
Maryland law must secure a permit
from the Public Service Commission.
Trucks used in general hauling, that Is,
whenever they can get q cargo, and
which go to one town today and an
other tomorrow, as their business de-
mandS, are not required to have Mary
land tags, according to the Maryland
authorities.
Discrimination Alleged.
However, Arthur Keefer, former
Prince Georges County delegate in the
Maryland Legislature and now attorney
for the Tri-State Trucking Co., one of
those notified to secure Maryland tags,
declares the commissioners Office can
not legally discriminate between the
common carrier and general hauler in
regard to tags.
Keefers view is that, under the reci-
procity agreement between Maryland
and the District of Columbia, passenger
automobiles only are exempt from Sc
curing tags of the other jurisdiction.
All trucks, he contends, owned in the
District, but engaged in interstate OPP
Grafton in Maryland, should have Mary
land tags. The reciprocity agreement,
in effect since 1924, has not been en-
forced In this respect Keefer asserts,
and an attempt to enforce it in regard
to one class Of trucks instead of all
is unfair discrimination.
Another factor in the case. according
to Keefer, is a ruling of the United
States Supreme Court to the effect that
the Public Service Commission of Mary
land has no authority to- issue permits
or prevent any one from hauling If not
engaged in tntraState trafhc.
In letter to Col Z. Austin Baugh-
man, commission OF motor vehicles,
Keefer calls attention to the daily haul
ing Of freight into nearby Maryland by
District of Columbia trucks and sug-
gestS the commissioners ONCE investt-
gate those operations with view to
making all nonresident owners OF
trucks obtain Maryland tags If the TIL
State Co. Is required to do so.
Inquiry Already Made.
The commissioners Office has already
investigated the operations of the
trucks. which It CLASHES as common
carriers, operating under schedule over
regular routes or between fixed termini.
The investigation shows q majority OF
these trucks are operated three days
a week, although some haul every week
day. It Is said the attorney general OF
the State has ruled that such trucks
must obtain a license from the Public
Service Commission.
Deputy Motor Vehicle Commissioner
Schroeder declared truck operators had
been violating the law by operating
without Public Service Commission tags
for some years, but added the violations
had not been as prevalent during the
first few years after the reciprocity
agreement as during the past two years.
He said it was his belief the truck own
ers were deliberately violating the law
in the hope of getting away with 1t as
long as possible. Schroeder said, how
ever, that only three or four truck COM
panies in the District were falling to
comply with the law.
District license tags, he pointed out,
were costing these companies only 81
per truck, while Maryland tags would
cost SIS or more This feature, he said,
was helping the District companies I'M
derbid for the Maryland trade, and
Maryland operators, claiming unfair
competition, complained to the COM
missioner'S Office. Investigation of the
complaints led to the present effort to
make the common carriers from Wash
ington secure Maryland permits.
The fee for these permits Is one-fifth
of a cent per ton, which the truck, in
GLIDING its capacity load, shall weigh,
multiplied by the total number Of miles,
which the applicant shows will be trav-
eled over State, county and town roads
of MARYLAND during the wear.