Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-22
D. {. Taxi Fares
Increased 25%
For One Person
Group Riding Rotes
Roised Is to 30%;
Families Get Break

The District Public Utilities
Commission today raised single
passenger taxi fares IS per cent
and group riding rates from is
to 80 per cent.
The changes become effective
at am. Sunday. September 1.
The order also made family
riding cheaper for groups
boarding at the same place and
heading for the same destina-
ton. 1t gave drivers discretion |
to pick up more than one pas
senger at bus and railway ter
minals and in rush hours.
New Scale Setup
The single passenger will be
charged. under the new scale,
so cents for the first zone and
Is cents for each of the addi-
tional seven zones. This brings
the charge for the longest ride
in town through eight zones to
$2.25.
Each person in a group will
pay IS cents in the first zone |
and is cents more in each Of
the succeeding three zones.
Then. in the remaining four
zones the increase will be 10l
cents per zone, bringing the
total group passenger rate per
person in the eighth to $1.20.
A new party rate" designed
to ease family group riding will |
work like this: Two people rid
ing one zone will each pay the |
group passenger rate of IS cents |
or 10 cents total. Each addi-
tional member of their party |
will be charged only 20 cents.
Increases Earnings
P. U. c. Chairman George E. |
c. Hayes said the increase was
necessary to give taxicab driv-
erS reasonable and fair level |
of earnings" He estimated mes |
rates would guarantee drivers
about $50 for q 40-hour week
or $1.30 per hour. Their net
earnings for a 70-hour week |
ought to amount to $109 so, or
S1.57 per hour, he said.
This compares to an esti-
mated take-home pay now of |
$3.50 for a 40-hour week and
S77.40 for a 70-hour week. ac-
cording to studies made by VIII
liam Falk, chief P. U. C. &C
countant.
While raising rates over
those requested by taxicabs
operators, and Mr.. Falk, the
P. U. c. rejected a number Of |
zone boundary revisions which |
had been requested. Only two
minor zone changes were made. /
Specifically, the number of
group riders tagging cabs at
different points will be deter
mined by drivers at Griffith |
Stadium. the Armory and all
railway and bus terminals, ac-
cording to new regulations.
Drivers also may either accept |
or reject group riders during
rush hours, Z to 8 am. and
4 to 6 pm. Monday through |
Friday anywhere in the city. |
At all other times and places,
the passenger or passengers
occupying cabs may decide
whether more can board.
Rate Comparison
New single passenger rates
compare to present rates as
follows:
First zone, so cents instead
of 40 cents; second. rs cents
instead of so cents; third. $k00
instead of 80 cents; fourth.
$1.25 instead Of 81; fifth, $3.50 |
instead of $1.20; sixth, S1.75
instead of $1.40; seventh, 81
instead Of S1.60. and eighth,
!. 1925 instead of $1.80.
New and old group pasSen-
gers fares line up like this:
First zone. 35 cents instead OF
80 cents; second, so cents in
stead of 40 cents; third, IS
cents instead of so cents:
fourth, 80 cents instead Of so
cents; fifth, 80 cents instead of
70 cents; sixth, 81 instead Of
80 cents; seventh, $l.10 instead
of 80 cents. and eighth, $1.20
instead of 81.