Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-01
Continued From First Page


County is the last of the sub
urbs to come into line. A new
ordinance requiring taxi meters
which measure mileage and COM
pute the fare, takes effect May l..
Prince Georges, SO far, has re-
sisted meters for cabs but the
regulations require charges based
on mileage readings taken from
the Speedometer. Both Arling-
ton and Alexandria use meters.
But Rates Differ
In each jurisdiction the rates
differ. however.
Up until now, Montgomery
County cab companies could
charge any rate they saw fit.
Some already have installed
meters set for the new May /
rate schedule and have COM
menced charging on that basis.
These are the single-passenger
rates: Montgomery, so cents for
the first 1l2 miles and 5 cents
for each lis mile or fraction
thereof; Alexandria and Prince
Georges. 40 cents the first mile
and 10 cents each additional u
mile; Arlington. 35 cents the first
Il mile and 10 cents each addi-
tional "a mile.
Here is comparison with the
two trips used as an example
for Washington.
If you make a one block ride,
the fare in Montgomery now can
be anything the company or the
driver wants to charge. After
May l it would be so cents for
any distance up to / Il miles. In
Arlington, the minimum charge
is 35 cents for the first y mile;
Alexandria and Prince Georges.
40 cents for the first mile.
What if you travel Az miles?
AS indicated. it is possible to
travel that far in Washington
measuring the longest zone "as
the crow flies" and stay within
one zone for 40 cents. In most
cases. however, you would pass
through two or more zones and
pay 40 cents plus 20 cents for
each additional zone entered or
passed through.
Cost in the Suburbs
Here's what trip of the same
distance would cost in the sub
urbs:
Montgomery (after May u,
$1.25; Alexandria and Prince
Georges, $3.50. and Arlington,
$l.55.
S. w. Parrish, coming and Ii
cense inspector for Montgomery
County, says, Many of the OPP
orators here have indicated they
intend, as a matter of practice
to operate on the meters when
they make trips into Washing
ton. But there's no way we can
enforce that after they leave
the county"
Lack, of enforcement powers
beyond their respective areas
also is claimed by r. l.. Nc
Creight. Alexandria hack inspec-
tor. and Charles Hammond, ex-
ecutive assistant to the Airing
ton Public Utilities Commission
Only in Prince Georges is there
any attempt to enforce its local
rate schedule outside of that
county. But c. Gerard Buscher,
the hack inspector there, con-
ceded legal question may be
involved.
Our cabs are licensed in
Prince Georges" Mr.. Buscher
says. THE county ordinance sets
the rates and we expect the CON-
panies to observe them, whether
in the county or not"
Overcharged 10 Cents
Mr.. Buscher said he recently
investigated a complaint from q
woman near Cheverly. She
claimed she was greatly over.
charged for a trip to Union Sta
ton in Washington.
II made the same trip to clock
the mileage and found she wa;
only overcharged 10 cents" Mr.
BuScher said. Il called it to the
drivers attention but it wasn't
serious enough to do anything
about---it may have been just 9
mistake"
Takoma Park, which straddle.
the Montgomery Prince George!
County line, presents a peculiar
problem. Some of the taxi com.
panies there are licensed to d.
business in both counties. Tha
means they will be equipped with
hlCbIlo dlbGl Mdy II
IF they pick up passenger
on the Montgomery side anc
bring him over to our side,
doubt If we would do much about
1t If he finishes out his trip or
the meter. But IL he picks W
the passenger on our side, We
expect him to charge Prince
Georges rates until he gets int
Montgomery County"
There again, though, Mr.
Buscher was not clear what hi
could do If, for instance. the
driver charged an excessive rate
for the Montgomery portion Of
the trip.
u. s. Units Cause Problem
Both Prince Georges and Ar.
lington have one problem ir
common with respect to taxis--
Federal Government installa-
tions.
The Traffic Safety Bureau n,