Evening star., 1942-05-16
Sub.zone Rates
For Cabs Start
On June I
Most Trips Outside
Downtown Area
Will Cost More

Washington's taxi cab industry
will be operating on a subzone rate
system June !, under an order issued
last night by the Public Utilities
Commission. The plan will make no
provision for a proposed special price
limit on trips of a mile or less.
The practical effect was consid-
cred definite increase in charges
for most trips within or between all
zones. other than downtown zone l.
where the charge will still be 80
cents for a trip confined to zone 1.
The new taxi zone map approved
by the commission divided the Dis
trict into four basic zones, some
what similar to the present arrange
ment, with the major difference
that outside of zone / the zones are
subdivided into 81 subzones. Un-
der the new plan taxi drivers will
be required to display rate cards in
their cabs specifying the charges for
trips from any one subzone into an
other subzone.
Subz0nes Govern Rates.
The present zone charges are 80
cents for any trip to any one zone.
and 20-40-6080 cent rate for any
trip involving more than one zone.
Under the new plan, to 60 into effect
at 1901 am. June l, there will be a
rate increase for trips within any
one of the four basic zones where
the new sub-zone boundaries are
crossed or between sub-Zones in diff
ferent basic zones.
The commission deleted from the
plan, which was considered at the
April IA public hearing, the proposal
that the charge for trip OF one
mile or less, irrespective of how
many zone or sub-zone boundaries
were crossed, should be limited to
two-thirds of one zone charge.
This was done because of opposition
from cab drivers, who explained that
confusion would result since the only
measure of distance would be their
speedometers, which are not readily
visible to cab passengers.
While adoption of the sub-zones
was regarded by many observers as
meeting complaints of "inequities"
which sometimes result from the
old four basic zones. they said elimi-
nation of the mile or less price limit
still left many possibilities of rela-
lively high charges for short trips
which cross zone or sub-Zone boun-
daries.
The principle changes in the basic
zone boundaries were in zone /. This
was reduced in size by moving the
eastern boundary from Eighth street
to Second street NE. and Sc. and
by looping of a portion of the
Florida avenue bulge, and was
further changed by moving the
southern boundary from D to E
street S.W.
Includes Phone Call Charges.
A 10-cent extra charge for cabs
operating from call boxes was in
cluded in the new regulations. This
service charge was requested at the
April hearing by John H. Roger, jr.,
president of the District of Columbia
Taxi Owners Association, and he
argued that this would inspire driv-
ers to respond to telephone calls. 1t
was brought out that most drivers
are inclined to evade such calls be-
cause of dead mileage and loss of
time.
The maximum charge for any trip
within the District under the new
rate order is raised from $l20 to
$140.
Minor increases III the rates for
additional stops were ordered. At
present the charge Is 20 cents for
each stop five blocks or more off the
regular route, and 10 cents for stop
within three blocks of the direct
route. The new rate will be 10 cents
for each stop within three blocks of
the route, and 20 cents for each stop
that takes the cab from 3 to 10
blocks out Of the way. Any stops
more than 10 blocks from the direct
route will constitute a new trim