Evening star., 1952-04-27
Il Regulations
To Aid Hackers
Win Approval
Cab Drivers Benefit
From New Setup;
II Plans Rejected

II Plans Rejected
The District has approved II
recommendations to make things
easier for the city's 10000 cat
drivers.
The new regulations, only one
of which requires the Commits
sioners' approval, result from a
series of four conferences among
cab organizations and District Of
f1cials. The hackers took the
initiative.
Altogether % proposals to re-
move inequities were made. Traf-
f1c Director George E. Keneipp
announced approval of these yes
terday:
A "disinterested" businessman
will sit on the Hacker Board for
all hearings. The Traffic Advisory
Board will provide this personnel
in rotation. The cab people had
asked that representative of the
cab industry be required on the
board, too. But the District re-
jected this idea because it might
have led to charges of "discrimi-
nation" The Commissioners must
approve this new feature.
New Complaint Setup.
Citizens complaints of traffic
violations by hackers will be han
died the same as similar COM
plants against other drivers. This
means that instead of facing
Hacker Board action right off.
the cabbie will get an informal
hearing and let off with warnings
in most cases.
Other complaints against cab
drivers will be given a preliminary
investigation by the Hack In
specor's Office before the traffic
director recommends suspension
and Hacker Board action. This
will avoid chances of sending un-
supported charges to the board.
Hacker examination questions
and answers will be collected in
a handbook for cabbies, along
with pertinent regulations, zone
maps and similar information.
Examinations. moreover be set
up to include 10 questions each
on the subject of rates. locations
and regulations. Rate questions
will be limited to major zones
only.
3 References Required.
Applicants for new licenses must
present letters from three respon-
Sible businessmen on their busi-
ness stationery. The hackers had
asked that only three, instead of
the present six. signatures of ref
erences be required on license ap-
plications.
License issuance will not be
delayed pending of an FBI re-
port on the driver, but may pro-
ceed if his police record is sat-
isfactory. The District reserves
the right to revoke the license on
grounds of Misrepresentation, if
the FBI report ultimately reveals
that information was withheld.
Next friends" of hackers now
will be permitted to accompany
him at Hacker Board hearings.
At present. only attorneys are al
lowed for the most part.
Applications for license renew
ais should be accepted by the
Hack Inspectors Office 60 days
before expiration instead of the
present 30-day specification.
CabbieS must be advised by the
hack Office within 10 days of fl
ing for license whether his appli-
cation must go to the Hacker
Board.
The hack Office shall not act on
renewal applications ahead of the
traffic director.
Rejected Points.
Among complaints and recon-
mendations rejected by District
officials were: A proposed resi-
dence requirement of five instead
of one year; proof showing that
the applicant is available to serve
the public at least 70 hours per
six-day week; that certain police
lieutenants be excluded from serv-
ing on the Hacker Board, and
that letters to cabbies from the
board do not clearly explain the
charges against them.
Traffic Director Keneipp, an
swering another suggestion, said
he has asked Prince Georges Coun-
ty officials to get together with
the District on hacker reciproc-
ity agreements.