Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-19
HUNDREDS OF CAB
OPERATORS THRONG.
ROOM FOR HEARING.
Public Probe of Taxi War
Situation Is Begun With
Testimony.
c. OF C. RECOMM ENDATlON
ON CONTROL PRESENTED
Need of Regulation for Safety Is
Told by Harry King-2,S39
Licenses Since July /.

The open hearing before the Public
Utilities Commission on WaShington'S
muddled taXicab situation was begun
t0iay in the crowded board room Of the
District Building. Several hundred
drivers, unable to find seats, crowded
the aiSleS and the back of the room as
the hearing started.
Harry King president of the Cham
Der of Commerce. submitted written
statement in behalf of the chamber in
which that body called upon the Public
Utilities Commission to regulate the
taXicab industry by the enactment OF
its own regulations and by seeking ad-
ditional legislation from Congress If
necessary. He said the public was en-
titled to a we'll regulated taxicab in
dustry from the viewpoint of safety,
speedy traffic movement and protection
to investments of recognized taxicab
concerns.
Holds Cabs Speed Excessive.
Allen v. De Ford, chairman of the
chambers Transportation Committee,
made committee report sustaining Mr..
Kings views and pointing out the
streets are overcroWded with hacks,
many Of which are driven at excessive
speeds by drivers bent on making liv-
ing at the low rates now existing.
Sergt. T. Mason, hack inspector.
testified 1880 hacking licenses had been
issued since July and that about $500
were issued in the 1880 fiscal year He
said about IS new H" tags are issued
per day, and that about per cent of
those applying for hacking licenses are
turned down by the Police Department
on account of bad traffic or criminal
records. In his opinion. however. there
are less accidents resulting from taxi
cab operation than from the operation
Of private vehicles. on account of the
greater experience Of the taXicab
drivers.
He said that at present he receives
about 20 complaints a week concerning
alleged overcharges by Zone-cab drivers
There are no complaints from meter
cabs, since there are only two or three
of these in operation. Most of the COM
plants are the result of deliberate over
charging, he said.
He produced several written COM
plants and went into the details of
each One had to do with the question
OF whether the 20-cent boundary was
the east or west side of Wisconsin ave-
nue.. According to the maps filed by the
concern in question the west side is the
boundary. but drivers insist on treating
the east side as the boundary and thus
collect on extra 20 cents when they
drive downtown from a hack site on the
west side of Wisconsin avenue at M
street.
Cannot Revoke License.
Another complaint was that a taxi
driver had threatened to strike rider
who wanted to pay 20 cents for ride
In the first zone instead of the 40
cents demanded by the cab driver
In these cases. Sergt. Mason said, it
had been impossible to revoke the Ii
CenSe of the hacker since the revoca-
ton must be based upon an act of
moral terpitude He admitted there
was no regulation to protect taxi driver
in case where passenger runs up
bill and refuses to pay it,
Leon Brill, president of the Bell Cab
Co. the next witness, testified his cor
poration owns more than 100 sedans,
which they rent to operators at 81 Der
day. After sos days of operation, the
cab is given to the driver as bonus,
he said.
Assistant Corporation Counsel Will
diam A. Roberts, examining for the
commission. asked Mr.. Brill is he had a
copy of the contract with him. When
Mr.. Brill said he had not. Benton G.
Potter, sitting in the rear Of the room,
shouted:
L have. and a slave labor contract
It is, If there ever was one"
Potter then advanced to the counsel
table and deposited his copy of the
contract. 1t was marked for identifi-
cation as Mr.. Roberts proceeded to
question Mr.. Brill concerning it.
Explaining further the workings of
the contract, Mr.. Brill said the, driver
is compelled to pay for gas. oil, tires
and repairs The contract also requires
the driver to buy his gas and oil and
have his repairs done in the Bell Co.
There is no limit on the mileage a
driver may operate. The. driver must
settle once day. At the end of 365
days the driver has paid 81 ,440 for a
cab which costs approximately 500
new. The difference. Mr.. Brill said. is
made up by telephone service. advertis-
ing and other expenses met by the
Bell Co.
Mr.. Brill said the requirement in the
contract that supplies be bought from
the Bell Co. is not rigidly adhered to.
The drivers are entitled to one day
off in 10. Occasionally in extraordinary
circumstances they are allowed more
time off. If they take off more time
than that without leave in advance,
however, the contract is vitiated and
the cab is repossessed by the Bell Co.
Mr. Roberts drew from Mr.. Brill the
fact that no Bell Cab operator makes
ties Commission. The activities of the
company's cabs are reported by the
Bell Cab Co. in a single report. From
this report, it is impossible to learn the
passenger revenue Of the cabs. since
the only monies reported by the Bell
Cab Co. are payments made to it by
operators who rent the cabs.
Mr.. Brill suggested new zone rates
of 25, SO and rs cents, and re-estab-
lishment of zones with the original
boundaries as the solution to the taxi
cab problem.
Harry C. Davis, president of the In
dependent Taxi owners Association,
whose members operate Diamond cabs,
said the only solution was return to
meter operation. He submitted map
containing five zones ranging in price
from 20 cents to a dollar, which he
suggested being used by the commits
sion If the decision to continue fiat
rate operation be reached.