The Washington times., 1931-10-21
REGULATE CABS
OR RAISE RAIL
RATESURGED
W. F. Ham Requests P. U. c.
to Adopt Stringent Rules
to Save Company Employees

Unless the Public Utilities Com
mission does something to regu.
late taxicabs, the street cars
should be permitted to raise their
fares or have some other adjust
ment, w: F. Ham, president Of
the Washington Railway and
Electric Company, declared today
at the commissions inquiry into
local taxicab conditions.
Prior to that Mr.. Ham had
brought out that taxicabs should
not be permitted to operate on a
zone basis when traction com.
panies had been denied that
privilege and the question of five
cent street car fares and the
threat Of reduction of street car
employees salaries had been in
jected.
Five Cent Fare Heard
In speaking Of the zone system
Tor street cars, the discussion
centered about q five-cent fare
Tor short hauls with a proper.
tlOnate increase for longer runs,
Mr.. Ham threatened reduction
OF wages Of employees, curtailed
service and poorer equipment I'm.
less something was done to relieve
the situation brought on by the
influx Of taxicabs since the flat
rate went into effect.
The witness told the commits.
sion that zone system of taxicah
operation was discriminatory, and
pointing out that his company re.
peatedly had suggested that street
cars be permitted to operate on
such basis, but without success.
Wouldn't Help Much
Asked by Peoples Counsel Rich.
mond b. Keech If he thought a
five cent fare for short hauiS
would relieve losses of his com.
pany, Mr.. Ham said:
II do not think 50. We would
haul more passengers, but would
not make as much money as We
make now, the reason being that
with . 20 cent zone taxi cab.
FOUR or five people can ride for
four cents apiece"
Mr.. Ham made it clear that he
was appearing before the com.
mission primarily in the interest
OF his 1,640 employees and their
families. He pointed out that not
only were the wages of the EN-.
ployes jeopardized because of loss
OF revenue by his company, but
that sick benefits and insurance
also were at stake.
Mr.. Ham declared the com.
mission had the same power to
regulate taxicabs as it had to
regulate street cars or it has none
at all. He criticized the commits
sion for its delay in iaquiring
into the taxicab situation, say
ing:
ut is surprising to me that
the commission has Just now
awakened to the situation and
attempted to assert its author
ity."
Asks for Meters
He urged that taxicabs be me.
tered, that no vehicle be per.
United in the taxicab business un.
less 1t was q built-to-order ma.
chine, that the commission issued
license only to men Of character
and standing in the community,
ana that no cab be permitted on
the streets until the commission
had certified it to be a convent.
ence and necessity.
Mr.. Ham declared that at pres
ent there seems to be a division
OF authority regarding taxicabs,
pointing out that they are never
prosecuted for violating Public
Utilities Commission regulations,
but are only brought nito court
when they transgress on police
regulations.
He blamed losses of $4,000 in
August and September, respec.
lively, on the flat-rate system.
and said for the first Is DAYS of
october the company's average
loss Of revenue was $l,Sl2 a. day.
Edward OstrOw, secretary.treas.
urer Of the City Cab Company.
told the commission he was or.
posed to the meter system Of
operation and preferred q flat
rate system with the present
zones. He said that the cabs
could be operated at q profit ON
the present 2O-cent zone rate, but
said II may change VISA cOntem.
plated. the rates should be
chnaged to IS cents per zone.