Evening star., 1942-12-01
Taxi Firms Ask
Boost in Rates
On Group Riding
Spokesman Tell
PUG Drivers Should
Get Incentive
BY DON S. WARREN.

proposals Tor higher grOup-rldlng
fares than now prevail under the
taxi emergency pickup" system
were demanded today by spokesmen
for the cab industry if the Public
Utilities Commission is to order full
f1edged use of group-riding plan
as a means of conserving gas, tires
and cabs.
The demands, couched in several
different proposals from various cab
interests, were made at an informal
conference held today by the PUG,
attended by spokesmen for the Of
flee of Defense Transportation and
the Office of Price Administration,
to test out sentiment on the con-
servation programs James H.
Flanagan, PUG chairman. explained
the commission has made no deci-
sion on any proposals. but that it
seemed apparent group riding and
more efficient use of available cabs
had become essential.
Cab spokesmen agreed that war
conditions had made group riding
necessary. They said they would
cooperate, but were unanimous in
proposing some incentive" for the
driver to encourage group riding
practices. They made it clear they
meant higher group riding fare
than the 20 cents per person in the
present pickup" service (Which ap-
plies only to zones l and D.
Independents Agree.
John H. Royer, jr.. speaking for
the Combined Cab Group, an or
ganization of six fleets, proposed
that for group riding, on 24-hour
basis. the price per person beyond
any single fare) should be 25 cents,
IS cents, As cents and SIS cents, re-
spectively, in a one, two, three or
four zone trip. For a single person
service, not group riding his plan
would call for use of the prevailing
fare schedules. Mr.. Royer said
these recommendations had been
agreed on by Spokesmen for the
Arrow, Bell, Checker, Premier, Vel
low and Washington Cabs, repre-
senting 100 cabs.
Later, Harry Davis, speaking for
the Diamond cabs independent
TaXicab Owners Associations in
dorsed the proposals of the Com
bined Cab Group.
Edwin A. Glenn, president of the
United TaXicab Drivers, Inc, de-
clared the union drivers were not
asking for 'one cent more" but also
said it would not be fair to ask
the drivers, under group riding, to
take "one cent less" He proposed
that the commission remove from
its rate order the present scheme for
division of fares" where there is
group ridi- 3 and permit the driver
to charge the regular full fare for
any extra passenger" boarding
cab.
Increase Said Justified.
Mr.. Glenn later explained that he
means that if one party, say hus-
band and wife. took cab at Union
Station to go to a downtown hotel,
their combined fare would be the
present fare Of 30 cents total, and
If third passenger rode with them
on the same trip this extra paSSen-
ger would also pay the 30-cent full
fare.
When Gregory Hankin commits
sion member, questioned whether
this extra 30 cents charge was iuSti-
fed, Mr.. Glenn insisted it was and
added: Mr.. Hankin, if you and l
and Mr.. Flanagan went across the
street for cup of coffee we would
not expect to get three cups of Cof-
fee for a dime CleWell Sykes of
the taxi division of the ODT said
Yes, but you don't use the same
cup either
Mr. Hankin used Mr.. Rogers pro-
poSals to calculate that if group
riding fares were 25, 35, As and 55
cents per person, figuring an aver
age of three passengers a trip, it
would mean an increase of 86 per
cent over present fares for a one
zone trip, an increase of 10 per cent
for a two-zone, 70 per cent for
three zone trip and IS per cent for
q four-zone trip.
Cooperation Asked.
Opening the conference, Mr.. Sykes
pleaded for cooperation from all
parties as a means of accomplishing
conservation and more effective use
of available cabs, which he said are
war necessities. He agreed the
drivers should have an incentive, but
added that the ODT had not been
in a position to suggest any rates of
fare, primarily because of the ques-
ton of legal jurisdiction between
States and cities, the wide differen-
tials in fares and the great compli-
cations in fare schedules.
Robert A, Nixon, representing
OPA, said it would be interested in
any changes in rates as we'll as in
conservation of gas and rubber. He
described what he said was the very
successful operation of a group
riding plan used for five years in
Madison, Wis
There. cabs follow main trunk
highways and each passenger picked
up pays 10 cents per ride. Mr.. Nixon
agreed that Madison, with a popula-
tion of about $4,000 was much
smaller than Washington and that
conditions were no doubt different.
The discussion brought declara-
tions from some cab spokesmen that
sor1e cab drivers now are charging
full regular fares in group riding
instances and that many" drivers
are unable to calculate correctly
the proper division of fares among
group riders under the prevailing