Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-20
Taxi Meter Ruling
Called Public Abuse
10 the Editor Of The Star:


A fortnight ago we were amused by
! a whine from the traction company
because it had lost its pull with Con-
gress and could no longer control the
Commissioners and Public Utility Com
mission in its desire to do as 1t
pleased and yet keep a monopoly Of the
carrying business.
Playing about their last card with
more promises and yelled threats. they
have persuaded the utility commits
sion to require meters on taxis. Not
that the public will be benefited, but
to annoy the taxicab business.
Just why taxi cannot operate on
a zone system, which is the prefer
able from the patrons standpoint as
it lessons cheating and argument, when
the car company operates on zone
system, which is the length Of its
track in the present instance, is not
clear to the citizen. I think citizens
generally resent the favoritism shown
the car companies in several ways in
the effort to preserve for them q
monopoly which they do not deserve,
under the mistaken idea that they will
do more for the public. There are
very few benevolent monopolieS and
the traction companies of this city are
not among them.
When there was no taxi competition
the companies failed to give proper
service after promises in exchange for
increased fares. Since October Is my
experience Is that cars are more
crowded and the service poorer. More
persons are left to walk or take taXiS,
and on the Monday of that week in
one round trip I was detained in no
less than four tie-upS by cars getting
stranded on crossings and having to be
pushed off by others.
Also, as to the charge that they are
delayed by traffic and lights, the cars
set the example by their pay-aS-you-
enter system, overcrowding and one
man cars, which delay not only them
more than does the traffic, but the rest
of traffic as well, especially on such
thoroughfares as North Capitol street,
where they frequently cause a jam for
square back, delaying so or more We
hicles to take on a half-dozen persons.
Their argument that otherwise the
masses cannot get moved is increasingly
poor with time. They no longer move
the masses, except to resentment at
the way they are permitted to usurp the
right of way, hrough the influence of
their crossing policemen. The trend of
the times is toward public service, not
private monopoly, and the sooner they
are divorced from partnership with the
authorities the better the citizens will
be pleased. What they really need Is q
renovation from the top down and the
infusion OF new blood and modern serv-
ice ideas. to overcome that desire for
monopoly, pull and public be MIXED
policy, with which they have been
charged, and We believe rightly, for O
generation back. AT the present time
car riding is rough and uncomfortable,
a menace to nerves and the public
health through overcrowding, and many
of us, rather than wait an indeter-
inmate time for car, now hail q taxi,
save rs per cent In time, avoid being
iostled, jerked about and trod upon;
ride in comfort and arrive at our des-
tination clean and unwearied, and In
worth much more than the IL cents
extra which provided US the taxi. Saw
ing by riding in q street car is poor
economy and only for those whose
budget will not permit them q taxi or a
private auto. But for these, which in
cludes myself. with or without COMPETE
ton. o decent car service should be as
Sured BY the authorities. and this OBJ