Evening star., 1946-09-26
PUG, Counties
Confer 10 End
.CabRate'
Uniform Charges
On Interstate Fares
Held Desirable

Held Desirable
The District and most nearb,
areas moved today to iron out tn,
chaotic" interstate taxicab rate sit.
uation as spokesmen for the Public
Utilities Commission here and The
counties agreed:
/. That in the absence of Fedora
regulations the localities probably
have legal authority to control cat
rates for reasonable distance be.
yond the State lines.
2. That uniformity of rates beyond
boundaries Is desirable.
Uniformity Sought.
3. That, while rates within the
separate localities need not be the
same, the out-of-State rate for all
should be the same or as nearly
the same as possible.
Assistant Corporation Counsel
Lloyd B. Harrison, legal adviser tc
the District PUG, was delegated by
the conference to draft a model
ordinance which might be adopted
generally by all jurisdictions in
volved to bring about the desired
uniformity.
Attending the conference called
by District PUG Chairman James
H. Flanagan at the District Build
ing were Edmund Campbell, chair
man of the Arlington County Board !;
Mrs. Ellen Young and R. C. L. Mon
. cure of the Arlington PUG, Joseph
Cantrel and Albert E. Brault of
Montgomery County, Joseph M.
Pancoast, city attorney for Alex
dria, and members of the District
PUG staff.
Spokesman for Prince Georges
County were invited but were up-
able to attend.
Airport "Sore Spot"
The sore spot problem of rates
to National Airport was raised by
Mr.. Flanagan who described the
present monopoly" held there by
Airport Transport, Inc, and offered
to join with other jurisdictions in
any persuasive" action that could
be taken to remedy the situation
if the other States were similarly
inclined.
Would you do the same thing for
Union Station?" asked Mr.. Campbell
with smile. THE monopolistic
evil is just as great there as at the
airport"
Both Mr.. Flanagan and Mr.. Har-
rison agreed, but the latter pointed
out that the terminal concession was
not within the jurisdiction of the
Public Utilities Commission and that
the concession to the Diamond Cab
Co. is as hard on other District cabs
as on Virginia hackers.
The spokesmen for the various 10
calities generally supported reciproc-
ity between the various areas in the
matter of picking up return fares
after having discharged passenger
out of State, but several feared COM
plications in this respect.
Congress Avoids Issue.
At the outset Mr.. Harrison told
the group that Congress has spe-
cifcaly expressed a desire not to
enter the taxicab control field and
he later brought out that the In
terstate Commerce Commission has
no control over this type of trans
portation.
He Joined with Mr. Cambell and
Mr. Cantrel in the belief that under
this situation the localities prob
ably have legal authority to exer-
else rate controls beyond State
lines.
How far this control might rea-
sonably extend is yet to be worked
out, Mr.. Harrison suggesting the
possibility of each locality develop
ing overlapping circles of rate con-
troll
Another suggestion by Mr.. Camp
bell was to define an overall metro
politan area within which the uni
form out-of-State rates would
apply.
Favors Mileage Basis.
Mr.. Brault and Mr.. Campbell
favored placing the State
rate upon a mileage basis, but Mr..
Flanagan foresaw some difficulties
created because of the District zone
system.
Mr.. Campbell said Arlington is
about to place its cabs on a meter
basis and Mr.. Flanagan observed
that while Washington Is currently
prohibited from establishing meters
as fare basis, the PUG now has
authority to conduct a public hear
ing on the subject
While he personally favored the
meter system. Mr.. Brault said it did
not appear feasible for a county as
large as Montgomery County. Taxi
cab control is being built up in the
county under Mr. Brault's super
vision, Mr. Cantrel told the confer
ence.
Opening the conference, Chair
man Flanagan said the objective
was to clear up the chaotic" exist
ing conditions. The matter had been
the subject of concern to the PUG
for some time prior to the develop
rnent of difficulties at the airport, he
said.
Mr.. Harrison observed that the
airport and the Pentagon were
sore spots" in the situation, but by
no means the underlying causes.
Overcharges Fought.
To demonstrate that the District
now is doing what it can to prevent
District cab drivers from charging
exorbitant fares beyond the District
boundaries, Mr.. Harrison told re.
can't case of driver who transported
aswoman passenger from a point or
Wisconsin avenue to a doctor ir
Bethesda and asked $40 for the
trip.
The physician, a friend of the pas.
senger, refused to pay and, aftel
some discussion with the driver
paid So and reported the case to tn,
PUC.
THE PUG sent the case to tn,
Board Of Revocation and Review o.
Hackers Licenses, Mr.. Harrison said
on the theory that man who woule
charge such price for a short triT
was not fit person to be licensed
to drive a taxicab.
Xua cold hn a{d o1t lxx,or, x,L~4 4.