Evening star., 1942-04-30
Taxi Cruising
Banned Except
lin Rush Hours
P. u. c. Acts After
| Eastman Move to
Save Tires and Cos

Matching its promises with
swift action, the Public Utilities
Commission today ordered a ban
on taxicab cruising on the streets
Of Washington.
The order, which becomes effec-
tive Immediately. came less than "A
hours after a declaration by Joseph
B. Eastman, chief of the once of
Defense Transportation, that cruis-
ing Of cabs must be stopped for the
duration of the war in the interest
of tire and gasoline conservation.
In announcing approval of the
regulations. Chairman Gregory Ham
kin of the Utilities Commission said
additional taxi stands would be
needed to make the new system ef-
ficient. Commission staff members
are investigating this problem now,
and the new stands will be estab-
hshed at an early date, Mr.. Hankin
said.
Order Is Quoted.
The commission order stated:
In view of the present emergency
and the shortage of rubber and
gasoline, and in accordance with
the policies announced the director
of defense transportation, 1t is or
dered that: ...
81. No taxicab operating within
the District Of Columbia shall en-
gage in cruising for the purpose Of
picking up passengers.
%. When a passenger Is dis
charged, the taxi shall proceed to
the nearest taxicab stand, or to the
nearest callbox stand.
80 Nothing herein shall be con-
strued as prohibiting a driver of q
taxicab from taking on passenger
while en- route to the nearest taxicab
stand or callbox stand
4 Persons desiring taxicab serv-
ice shall either 60 to the nearest
taxicab stand for the purpose of
boarding a cab, or shall avail them
selves Of the telephone call box
service.
IS. This order shall not apply
during the rush hour period of from
7 TO 9 am. and 4:30 to $50 pm
Public Urged to Help.
Chairman Hankin explained that
section was in the nature of an
appeal to the public to stop the
practice of expecting to get taxi
cab wherever the are standing. He
said the order directing cabs to
proceed to the nearest stand would
not apply during the rush hours be-
cause during those periods there II
a great demand for all cabs to be
in operation and because cabs may
not park on stands located on the
heavy-traveled streets.
A survey by the commission
showed there are now 1856 cab stands
in addition to As stands at fire
hydrants throughout the congested
downtown area. Mr.. Hankin said
there was no doubt additional ones
would be needed to make the cruis-
ing ban effective.
A study of points of origin Of
taxi trips had been made and COM
mission members. in conference
with members of the taxi industry,
will determine the most strategic
spots in each area for establishment
of new stands.
The Utilities Commission chair
man said he believed that If the
taxi-riding public is assured that 1t
will be able to get taxicabs by tele-
phoning for them they will take ad-
vantage of the service, cab drivers
will use the stands and reduction
in cruising will result.
Mr.. Hankin indicated that he IA
vored an additional charge of 10
cents on cabs called by telephone
to pay for the dead" mileage be-
tween the stand and the origin Of
the call. Action on a proposal CALI
ing for such an additional fare was
postponed recently by the Utilities
Commission.
An official of one taxicab COM
pany took the view, however, that
it would be impossible to eliminate
all cruising, no matter how many
new stands were provided. ~
In Washington, said Jack Dalton,
president of the Blue Light Cab
Corp, "the taxicab is an integral
part Of the city's mass transporta-
ton system. 1t is not luxury, but
necessity"
Taxicabs, he went on to explain,
always must do certain amount Of
"dead-heading' or many Govern
ment workers would have a hard
time going to and from work. During
the morning rush hours, they must
60 into the outlying residential
neighborhoods to bring people to
work. Since there are few calls for
trips to residential areas In those
hours, cabs must go empty to such
areas If they are to give service to
patrons, he said.
Mr.. Dalton suggested establish
ment of many additional taxicab
stands, and proposed setting up q
number of single-cab stands at
intersections.