Evening star., 1935-01-09
District Appropriation Bill
Will Carry Clause Regu-
Iating Business.
PROVISION WOULD KILL
COMPETITIVE SYSTEM
Four Existing Zones and Varying
Prices Face Definite
Discard.

The House Subcommittee on Ap-
preparations, it was learned at the
Capitol today. has taken definite
steps to establish uniform zones and
rates for the various groups of taxi
cabs operating in Washington.
Into the 1896 District appropriation
bill, soon to be reported to the House,
the subcommittee has written a pro-
vision which, in effect, tells the Public
Utilities Commission to abolish the
four existing zones, and the four differ
ent rates of fare, and put the taxi
business on a non-competitive basis,
The provision carefully drawn to
prevent its elimination on a point of
order in the House is designed pri-
marily to clear up the long pending
legal tangle over the taxicab situation
which grew out of the two-year-old
non-enforced order requiring taxicabs
to carry meters.
The secondary purpose of the pro-
vision is to eliminate public confusion
over the various existing rates and
zones.
Order Long Troublesome.
The commissions taxi meter order
has long been a troublesome one.
Twice it was contested in the courts
and both the District Supreme Court
and the Court of Appeals upheld its
validity. But Congress in the last two
District appropriation acts forbade its
enforcement. And to make the situ-
alton more confusing, the courts In
upholding the validity of the order
recognize the right of Congress to
prescribe a ban on meters.
The commission consequently has
been In dilemma as to how to pro-
ceed. Out Of this situation has grown
q hodge-podge of rates and zones.
A majority Of the cabs, however,
operate on a zone basis with rates of
20, 30, so and 70 cents. Others have
d1fterent zones with rates of 20, 40,
go and 80 cents. A third group has
zone rates Of IS, go and 95 cents and
$1.30. A fourth group operates on a
meter basis.
Confusion Criticized.
The confusion over these rates was
subjected to severe criticism at re-
cent hearings before the subcommit-
tee, on the 1896 District estimates.
One member pointed out that recently
he took a cab at the Capitol and rode
to Eleventh and F streets for 20 cents,
and the following day in the cab of
another company he was forced to
pay 40 cents for the same trip.
The uniform rate and zone pro-
vision. members of the committee
pointed out, will not result in removal.
Of the existing restriction on the use
Of meters. The 1886 bill, it was said,
will carry this prohibition as in pre-
vious years, and to it will be added
the new provision.
The commission in recent weeks
made an effort to avoid some of the
confusion over rates by issuing regula-
tions, to become effective tomorrow,
requiring cabs to carry a rate schedule
on the windshield. These rate cards
are to be distinctive for each class, so
the public at glance can tell
whether the cam charges 20 or 35
cents for the first zone, or whether it
operates on a meter basis.
Bin to Go to Printers.
The subcommittee has completed its
work on the appropriation bill and it
will go to the Government Printing
Office within the next several days.
Chairman Cannon plans to report it
to the House as soon as the inde-
pendent Offices supply bill is out Of
the way. General debate on that
measure started today and it prob
ably will be passed by Friday.
In framing the District bill, the
subcommittee followed to a large ex-
tent the recommendations of the
Budget Bureau and indications are
that the measure will carry appropria-
tions. totaling about SAL 10000.