Evening star., 1939-03-24
Tdxicab Fare
To Increase
April ;
20-40-60- 0-80-Cent
Scale Provided
In Schedule

Barred by congressional rule from
enforcing metered rates for taxi.
cabs, the Public Utilities Commits
sion has granted an increase In the
present 50-70-cent zone fare
schedule to 20-40-60-80 cents as q
means of increasing the earnings Of
taxi drivers. The new rates become
effective after midnight April 3.
Included in the order, adopted
late yesterday, was a declaration
that determinations and inequities
are inherent" in any zone system.
The commission cited the provision
carried in the District appropriation
acts forbidding the commission
from enforcing use of meters.
The commission renewed its rec
ommendation for limitation of the
number of licensed taxicabs, as one
means of bettering the earnings Of
the drivers, agreeing that their in
come now is too low. Increased rates
were sought by cab operators and
drivers principally due to the cost
OF compulsory taxi insurance.
With but two relatively minor
changes, the commission retained
the present boundaries Of the pres-
ent zones, stating that any change
in boundaries, coupled with an in.
crease in rates. would cause confu.
sion, at least temporarily. Tho
effort was to keep the system a.
simple as possible.
No Change in Zone No. 1.
There was no change in zone 1.
where most of the taxi business
originates. 1t still will be possible
to ride from downtown Washington
to the Capitol or Union Station for
20 cents.
The charge for any trip within
any one zone will remain at 20 cents.
The maximum charge for a trip
across zones will be raised from
$1.10 to s12O.
A trip from zone to zone 2. and
vice versa. will have a charge of 40
cents. Other changes are:
A trip from zone to zone 3. and
vice versa, will have a charge of so
cents; from zone to zone 4, and vice
versa, 30 cents; from zone 2 to zone
3, and vice versa, 40 cents; from zone
to zone 4, and vice versa, 60 cents;
from zone to zone 4. and vice versa,
40 cents; trip between two points
in any zone and passing through one
different zone, including a trip be.
tween two points in zone 2 and pass.
ing through zone /, 40 cents: a trip
form zone 2 to zone 3, and vice versa,
and passing through zones l and 2,
60 cents; trip from zone to zone
1. and vice versa, and passing
through zones and 2, 80 cents;
from zone 3 to zone 4, and vice versa,
and passing through zones l, 2 and
3, 81; from zone to zone 4, and
vice versa, and passing through
zones and 3. 60 cents; a trip be.
tween two points in zone 4 and pass.
ing through zones /, 2 and 3, s1.20,
and a trip between two points in
zone 4 and passing through zones 2
and 3, 80 cents.
Court Ruling Cited.
In discussing inequities and dis.
ordinations under the zone fare
system. the commission recalled that
the District Court. in an opinion on
the City Cab and the Bell Cab cases,
on March %. 1882. stated 1.-THE
present zone system is discrimina.
tory and it is not possible to devise
non-discriminatory zone system in
the District of Columbia"
The commission reported that eff
forts were made by some witnesses
at the public hearing last month to
present testimony to the effect that
the only solution of the rate question
could be found in use of meters, but
that the commission explained the
testimony would be unavailing since
the present law prohibits a meter
order.
The commission increased the
size Of Zone by moving a portion
OF its boundary from Wisconsin ave-
nue., between K and Calvert streets
NV, west to Thirty-seventh street
between the Potomac River and
Calvert street at Wisconsin avenue.
The section bounded by M and p
streets, between First street S.W.
and First street Sc also was shifted
from Zone to Zone 2.