Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-11
COMMISSION MAY
REVISE TAXI CODE
TO END CONFUSION
Definite Action on Present
Chaotic Condition Not
Expected Today.
"PRIVATE" CARS FOR HIRE
AGAINST ORDER ON NAMES
Drivers Opposed to Flat Rates, but
Cannot Meet Competition
Otherwise.

The Public Utilities Commission was
In session today to consider the facts
brought out at the public hearing on
the taxicab situation yesterday. 1t is
not believed that any definite action will
be Forthcoming today, however, al
though the commission may make up Its
mind to attempt another taxi code, or
revision of the present code, later.
The fact standing out to observers
at the hearing yesterday is that the
taxi situation here is utterly chaotic.
None of the witnesses was able TO give
an exact definition of the zones under
which the fiat rate cabs are now sup
posed to be operating. None OF them
could solve problems dealing with what
should be done about crossing from
one zone to another.
Gives Typical Problem.
A typical problem, put by Commits
sioner Harleigh H. Hartman, had to do
with a trip which started at the edge
of the District in the so-called 35-cent
zone. Suppose the passenger wanted
to 60 to another point in that zone,
but the shortest point to 1t cut across
one or more of the lower zones, what
would be the effect on the fare, he
wanted to know. Nobody had definite
answer. There were several suggestions
that the commission ofncially recog-
nize the hat-rate system and cause
map, containing an outline OF the zones
to be installed in every nat-rate CAP.
Mr.. Hartman said this would be useless
unless somebody could decide such
problems as the last.
TWO persons who spoke from the pas
0enger'S viewpoint yesterday approved
of the 35-cent fiat rate. They were B.
w. Kennedy, a clerk in the House OF
Representatives, and William NICK.
CLAYTON. chairman of the Public Utilities
Associations. Almost all OF the drivers
or owners deplored the rate, but said
they could not go back to meter opera
ton because of competition. The only
one who gave any intimatlon OF the
wages Of taxi drivers under the present
regime said his men received about $12
TO SIT per week.
Protest Order on Names.
One Of the difficult angles to be ironed
out by the commission has to do with
It's order, effective September Is, that
All persons doing business with H tags
must have their names and the number
Of the cab painted on the body OF the
car.
This directly affects persons who
operate seven-p passenger sedans by the
hour. They have stands near the
Treasury, at Peace Monument and in
the Capitol grounds. One OF the dis
tinctive features of their business Is
that their cars, except for the H tags
appear to be private cars, which, they
said, has a decided appeal to their
customers. If they are forced to paint
names and numbers on the body OF the
cars, they said, this would destroy the
appearance of q private vehicle and
ruin their business.
Not only is there this economic diffi-
Guilty, but it Is understood that the
rules in force on the stand in the Capt.
tol grounds, made by the Capitol police,
insist that all cars using that stand be
''private" in appearance-thati s-shal
not have any trade names or other in
sigma painted on them.
II the commissions regulation pre-
walls none Of these cars would be per-
mitted to do business at their old
stand. This matter was not brought
out at the hearing, but representatives
Of the business stated that it would be
taken up with the commission.
Can't Locate Companies.
Hack Inspector Joseph D. Harrington
added q final touch to the picture of
confusion when he said 1t is impossible
for police to locate the taxi concerns
now doing business under fantastic
trade names when customers complain
that they have left property in the cabs
and cannot get 1t back. After running
through q list Of the trade names now
on the streets Of the Nations Capital,
Harrington concluded by mentioning
the only name he had not yet seen,
adding that he expected to see 1t soon:
Jump In or I'll Knock You Down
Taxi Co."