Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-22
ByerS Mex. Bachman Tells
Utilities Board Hacks
Hurt Companies.
So7.55 MONTHLY DEFICIT
ON CARS is ESTIMATED
Accountant Would Base Standard
Rate Only on Cost of
Replacement.

Byers NICK. Bachman, accountant
for the Public Utilities Commission,
todav estimated that taxi operation Is
taking about 100000 passengers a
wear away from the street car COM
panies. In spite of the enormous bust
ness being done by the 1900 hacks on
washington streets today, he estimated
that the taxicabs were oeng operateo
at a loss of $97.55 per month per CAB.
This startling testimony came at the
fourth session of the commissions open
:. hearing on Washington'S taxicab stu
alton.
Mr.. Bachman selected at random
reports of operations from Sc operators
involving 1874 cabs. Putting these re-
ports through their statistical PAGES,
/ he established that each car averaged
1857 miles and carried 683 passengers
in the course of month. The pasSen-
gers paid an average of $l70.75 per
month and the cost of carrying them
was $268.30 per month, leaving a net
loss Of $97.55.
Reports Misleading.
The figures are necessarily estimated,
since the reports of the drivers and
operators are not very detailed and in
many respects, perhaps, misleading, &C
cording to Bachman.
Going back to 1928, before the present
taxi warfare had started, he showed
that the cabs in operation then carried
3.8l6,2l9 passengers. To-Day the car CAPS
are carrying an annual total of 26,620,-
900 passengers, and the difference, Mr..
Bachman estimated would represent a
direct loss to the traction lines.
In explaining how he made his
statistical deductions, Mr.. Bachman
said:
ie fai rIH
sentative of all reports fled covering
individual operation. AS 1 have pre-
viously stated, only the revenues report
ed can be used for statistical purposes,
and even then I do not know whether
such represent collections only from
established rates, or whether or not
such include tips. I am assuming the
latter to be the case.
I'm the establishment of a uniform
tsxicab rate, I do not believe that there
could be considered the cost of the
owners of the nondescript cars now en-
the streets, but rates will have to be
based on replacement costs. II an
owner has purchased a used car ard
operates it in taxi service, it is just
his good fortune II repairs be small and
his return large. However. the business
is so competitive that rates based only
on new cars should be conSidered-that
is, if the commission is to fix uniform
rate for all who are engaged in taxi
service"
In making his estimate, Mr.. Bach
man used cents per mile as the wage
to be paid the drivers,
He estimated that the average fare
received for a trip was 80 cents. This
would have to be raised to about SO
cents If the cabs were to cease operat-
ing at loss.
His estimate of yearly revenue for
the cabs, except the meter cabs, was
ST ,986, 900, and his estimate of the total
number of cab miles was los 100000
Assuming an average price per ride OF
35 cents, this would mean that 228l7,-
LAB passengers ride the cabs year
Assuming an average payment OF 50
cents, the number Of riders per year IS
26,62o,00o
Estimates Per Mile Cost.
Mrs. Bachman also submitted esti-
mates on the per mile cost of operation
for various companies. These ranged
from S249 cents to 1l.246 cents.
The expenses per mile of the Black
and White Cab Co. during 1880, exclu-
sive OF the salaries of officers, starters
and other items, Mr.. Bachman esti-
mated at 1898 cents. He explained
that most of the cabs of this company
are old and hence gas and mainten-
ance costs would be high. The cabs,
according to his estimate averaged only
AZ miles per gallon, which is described
as a most uneconomical operation when
compared with the IL to IA smiles per
gallon for lighter and less expensive
cabs.
Mr.. Bachman suggested a new system
Of accounts which should be required of
taxi operators, including a manifest on
which every driver would be required
to post or record in detail all revenues
and expenses to keep for checking
against his monthly reports. In the
present situation, all figures as to the
number of passengers carried and the
like must be estimated, whereas SINH
lar figures for the traction companies
are kept very accurately and are re-
ported to the commission in detail.