Evening star., 1932-03-31
MARYLAND TRUCK
TAX IRkS OWNERS
Retaliatory Measures Plan
ned in D. c., Virginia, Penn
Sylvania and Delaware.

A motor war is looming along the
Atlantic Se3board
With the announcement from Mary
land motor vehicle authorities that for
hire trucks from other States operating
into Maryland must pay the common
carrier tax, or subject their drivers to
arrest. starting Monday. word has been
received here that retahatory measures
are being planned in Pennsylvania and
Delaware, and local interests. which
would be hard hit by the Maryland
move, are seeking to join forces with
Virginia and Carolina truckers in coun-
ter-action.
The Situation was brought to atten-
ton last night at a meeting of the
Commercial Motor Vehicle Owners As
Sociation Of the District at the Cham
Der of Commerce of the United States
when 1t was announced that q meeting
would be held this afternoon at $50
O'Clock at headquarters in the Chest
nut Farms Dairy to decide on the
course to be taken. ~
Representatives of trucking groups
from Virginia and North Carolina have
been invited to the meeting.
Plan RetaliatOry Measures.
If the Maryland authorities persist in
their stand. it was said by Jerome
FsncIulh, secretary of the District
group, that efforts would be made to
have all Maryland trucks coming into
the District pay District tax. Similar
action by Virginia and North Carolina
also would be sought.
The Maryland authorities are taking
action after conferences which started
late last Fall. when the idea of collect
ing the tax first was brOached.
Under the Maryland code all for-htre
trucks operating over regular routes or
between fixed termini pay a common
carrier tax of one-fifth Of a cent per
ton mile. When it was first announced
that all for-hire trucks, which would
take in the contract haulers, would
have to pay this tax, some few began
to comply, but others held it could not
r;ghtfuily be collected, taking the stand
that this would junk the reciprocity
under which District Maryland motor
iSts operate.
Threat Brings Showdown.
The threat to arrest drivers. however,
brings the matter to a showdown.
1t was brought out at last nights
meeting that State police have been
giving notices to truck drivers advising
them to call at the Office of the Public
Service Commission to pay the tax and
get operating certificates.
Under the tax plan the operator Of a
for-hire truck specifies the number of
trips he expects to make into Mary
land in the course Of year and then
the tax is assessed on the basis of total
mileage, the gross weight of the ve-
hicle and the maximum load that will
be carried on any one trip. This load
weight applies to all trips, even though
the vehicle may go one way empty.
The tax is payable in advance and no
rebate is given where the amount of
tonnage hauled does not reach the fig-
Ure on which the tax has been paid.
The State, however, collects for excess
freight hauled.
An example of what the tax amounts
to is shown in the case of a five-ton
truck. which would pay approximately
81 for every round trip to Baltimore
from the District line.
There is heavy truck traffic between
Washington and Baltimore because of
the amount Of freight brought into the
Maryland city destined here.
Pennsylvania motor interests were
due to take action in the matter at a
meeting in Philadelphia last night.