Evening star., 1942-07-07
Prospects Dim
For Early End
Of Taxi Dispute


-Four Zone Plans Will
Drivers Tomorrow
Prospects Of an early settlement o
the controversy over taxicab zon
rateS seemed more remote toda,
than they have for several week
as the Public Utilities Commission
faced discussion of four separat,
zone schedules at 4 conference be.
tween the commission and drivers
representatives in the District Build.
ing at 10 am. tomorrow.
The only point on which all
parties were agreed was that it woule
cost the public more generally te
ride in taxicabs when the dispute Is
finally settled.
The latest proposal for zone-rate
changes to be presented to the PUG
was submitted yesterday in the form
Of petition by the Combined Cab
Service, Inc, comprising Arrow, Bell
Checker, Premier, Washington and
Yellow. Combined's plan contem-
plates sin1plification Of the complex
zone map ordered by the PUG June
is, and recommends several changes
g m boundary lines.
The petition was based on 800
AfndAvits signed by drivers, accord
ing to John II. Roger, jr., president
OF Combined. Mr.. Roger said the
balance of the 1000 drivers identi-
iied with the six companies are ex-
pected to sign before the conference
. tomorrow.
Voting on Third Plan.
Meanwhile, drivers were still
voting today on a third plan pro-
posed by the United Taxicab Drivers,
Inc, which would retain, with GER
tain notifications, the old zone map
IN effect before June Is and still
being used by at least 500 cab drivers
by permission of the PUG.
The unions proposal also asks an
increase in rates to 80, SO, 10 and 80
cents. Although no rate increases
were asked in Combined's petition,
Mr.. Roger indicated his organization
would be willing to 60 along with
the union on q higher schedule.
The only schedule which appeared
10 have small hope, of survival was
the old one with its four basic zones
and rates of 80, 10, so and 80 cents.
The petition filed by Combined
asks that all thoroughfares other
than those marking zone or divi-
sional boundaries be removed from
the PUG map and that it be divided
simply by four zone lines and six in
tersecting divisional lines. 1t also
recommends that the eastern boun-
Diary line Of the second zone be es-
tablished along Montana avenue to
Diadensburs road; Bladensburg road
70 Seventeenth street and south to
the Anacoetia River. . - -
Boundary Changes Sugsested.
The southern boundary line Of the
zone, the petition suggests, should
Suu along the Anacostia River from
6eventeenth street Sc. to P street
Sc, west on p street to the Wash
3ngton Channel.
Other changes asked are: Third
zone, northern and eastern bound
ary lines changed to Peabody street
NV. to North Dakota*avenue NE.
to Thirty y-fifth street, south on
Thirty-fifth street across the Ana
costa River to Clay street NE, to
3enning road NE. to Minnesota
avenue, south on Minnesota avenue
to Sixteenth street Sc, then to w
street and west on w street to the
Anacostia River.
The unions proposal contemplates
the following new boundaries on the
old zone map:
Zone /, U street between Ninth
and Eighteenth streets NV,
Twenty second street up to s street.
and an imaginary extension Of the
zone line across Florida avenue on
Eighth street NE.
Zone 2, Randolph street to War
der street NV, south to Michigan
avenue, east on Michigan avenue
TO Franklin street, east on Franklin
street to Twelfth street NE, south
to Mount Olivet street, east to Bla-
densburg road, south to Seventeenth
street and south on Seventeenth
street to M street Sc.
Zone 3, Peabody street NV. as
northern boundary, anad an imagi-
nary line from r street and Blad-
ensburg road NE. to Minnesota
avenue at Benning road.
Edwin A. Glenn, president of the
union, held out hope that some of
the problems, at least, would be
settled at tomorrow's conference.
Groundwork for Rehearing.
The commission, which yesterday
agreed to allow newspapermen to
be present at the discussions, said
no. effort would be made, however,
to settle anything at that time, but
that the groundwork for a re-
hearing of the PUG order will be
laid.
Earlier, Gregory Hankin, PUG
chairman, had said that If only
simple things" needed to be ironed
out, they might be settled tomorrow.
He also declared that If the group
representing the drivers is too large
to permit an orderly conference,
"other means" might have to be
used to arrange details for another
hearing.
Ballots on whether to call another
vacation" and whether the removal
Of Mr.. Hankin as PUG chairman was
favored were also being distributed
to drivers voting on the unions pro-
posal. Voting will end at 10 o'clock
tonight.
Mr.. Glenn said he expected 1000
members and about IS per cent of
non member drivers to vote. Yes
terday's balloting, while not yet tab
ulated, he said, indicated drivers
were strongly favorable to all the
unions proposals.
Tkaek 6I:o;@ (>heduIoe