Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-08
TeagueAsks Report
OnTaxiLiquorCases
Wants to Know
Why 3 Were
Not Prosecuted
BY AL ALIBRANDo

lie CIldlTIldn OF q House
District Subcommittee studying
the taxi industry here today
demanded to know why three
hackers picked up for viola.
ton of liquor transportation
law were not prosecuted by the
Corporation Counsel.
Representative league. Dem,
ocrat of Texas. called Assist
ant Corporation Counsel Clark
F. King at a subcommittee
hearing today and cited three
cases which had been taken to
the Corporation Counsel's Of
flee by police.
Mr.. league noted that the
drivers. stopped by police June
%, had violated law which
prohibits transportation Of
more than IL bottles of LIQUOR
and 48 bottles of beer without
an accompanying bill of sale.
King to Investigate
This seems to be a clear
violation of the law" said Mr..
league. II want to know why
the Corporation Counsel's office
thought there was not enough
evidence to prosecute"
Mr.. King said he would in
vestigate the three cases.
Earlier. p. Y. K. Howat,
chairman of the Board Of
Trades public transportation
subcommittee. said the board
was in favor of:
l. Installation of meters to
replace the present zone fare
system.
2. An increase in liability in
surance requirements from S..
000-$l0.000 to $25,000-$5O, 900.
3. Repeal of mandatory group
riding.
4. No limit on the number of
licensed taxicab operators.
Allows Higher Income
Mr.. Howat said that
changeover to a meter system
would give drivers a higher in
come and permit them to take
better care of their cabs. He
noted that 5000 cabs, or about
one-third of those in operation
here now. are 1850 models or
older.
Also testifying today was
George E. Keneipp. District
Traffic Director. Mr.. Keneipp
told the subcommittee that be-
cause nearly 70 per cent Of
all taxi cabs failed their first
mechanical inspection during
the last check period it might
be wise to resume semiannual
inspections for taxi cabs.
"Of particular interest to u.s."
said Mr.. Keneipp. was the
number Of floor pans found
rusted through to the extent
they were potential hazards to
passengers entering the cabs"
Mr.. Keneipp also was ques-
toned closely on whether cab
companies selling automobiles
to drivers on conditional sales
agreements" are delivering
titles within four days as re-
quired by law. The Star re-
vealed last spring that one taxi
cab company operator had vio-
lated this law Is times and
continued after repeated warn
ings to hold title after making
sale.
Chaotic Condition Cited
The subcommittee touched
on the reported chaotic" con-
dition of the taxi cab industry
resulting from operation Of
several companies, fleets. and
associations by one owner I'M
der many different names and
colors.
Mr.. league said he would
call as a witness Jack BOLTON,
the operator of several taxi cab
companies. who has been ar
rested is times for violation Of
the title law.
In his testimony. Mr.. Keneipp
also pointed out that cruising
taxi cabs add TO the traffic con-
gestion here.
For example" he said. "traf-
f1c counts taken on Fourteenth
street. between Pennsylvania
avenue and F street. showed
that between am. and 6 pm,
of 6,207 northbound vehicles,
1878 or 3l8 per cent we're taxi
cabs. OF these. 1924 or els per
cent carried no passengers.
An earlier account had shown
the empty cab figure to reach
as high as 70 per cent -"
Mr.. league announced the
hearings would continue at 10
am. tomorrow.