Motorcab Topics.
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The taxicab world is slightly perturbed in several quarters at present.
The General Motorcab Company's shares are exhibiting a downward tendency, which is probably attribut.able to feared excess of competition, which will naturally hit the older companies most of all.
Glasgow is now to have a third motorcab company. It is to be known as the Glasgow Taxicab Co., Ltd., and its registered offices are at 95, Bath Street. The capital (private company) is ;63,000.
Taxi Drivers' Grievances.
On Monday last, a deputation, arranged by the Motorcab Drivers' Protection Association, and headed by Mr. S. Michaels, the president of the organisation, waited upon the Home Secretory, with a view to the laying before him of a list of kerievanees which, it was stated, were chiefly connected with the attitude of the police authorities towards licensed drivers. A definite statement, which drew attention to each of the alleged grievances in detail, was drawn up for perusal by Mr. Gladstone; we reproduce the contents of this circular in full.
Revocation of Licenses.
"Licenses are revoked in a number of cases for exceeding the limit and driving in a manner dangerous to the public, and we would point out (a: that in the first instance drivers sometimes exceed the limit, more especially in parks, when they are quite ignorant of the fact, and (h) in respect of the second it will he noticed that the Deputation has abundant evidence to show that in €0 per cent, of the cases the information and, more often than not, the seat of the trouble is with drivers of horse cabs. Further, it will be shown that the information in quite 90 per cent, of the cases is laid by some other person than a police officer, and with the present feeling of prejudice it is possible that the information is not always due to reliable or impartial statements."
Refusal of Permits.
"There are a number of healthy and capable drivers of horse cabs who have been refused a permit for license to drive mechanical power cabs for offences committed in the past which could not possibly have any bearing upon their fitness as drivers of such cabs: as, for instance, some years ago the driver of a horse cab was summoned and convicted for cruelty to his horse, and has been refused a permit for this reason."
Three Tests.
" Each applicant is allowed three tests as examination for a driver of motorcabs. The Deputation will show how un. fair this is after many weeks' loss in learnilig,..and -suggest that there should be no hruit. Vt hilst an applicant is desirous 'pi continuing his examination he should ,..have the opportunity until such tinieestikhe can satisfy the examiner as to hisqualifications."
Penalties.
"We would draw your attention to the seriousness of the amounts of fines and costs for offeeces under the Motor Car Acts, and, in view of the fact that the license is in jeopardy, a set of laws with reasonable maximum penalties under the Hackney Carriage Acts might be established as and apart from the law which governs the private motorist who has no license (as in the case of a cabman) to be considered."
Reports.
"We would point out the hardships inflicted upon cabmen and the serious amount of trouble and work imposed upon the police by the system known as'private reports,' and the Deputation will suggest in this regard that where a private individual or an employer makes a report they shall at all times be referred to the police court and not dealt with, as they are now, in the absence of the parties, where the cabman has no chance of confronting his accusers."
Time Allowance for Meads.
"The order compelling the first and second man on a rank to remain with their cabs, whilst being right in principle, is unworkable in practice, and the Deputation will show to you satisfaction the necessity of allowing some time limit for men to take their meals."
Automatic Signals.
" The Deputation will show the necessity for some system of signalling, in preference to the present manner in which the traffic is now dealt with, as many drivers get summoned and convicted being unable, more especially on dark nights, to see the policeman's hand until they are close upon it."
One License.
" Your attention will be drawn to the fact that two licenses of 5s,. per annum each is a great tax upon the driver, and that one should
Bilking.
"Where it can be proved to the satisfaction of a police officer that there has been a deliberate attempt on the part of a fare to avoid legal payment, he shall have power to take such fare into custody, and in the event of there being any doubt as to the fare's name and address, he shall be compelled to find bail for his appearance before a magistrate,
such bail to be fixed with due regard to the amount owing, arid should the fare fail to put in art appearance, the amount owing shall be paid out of the estreated bail.
In the case of a bilk where the fare has left the cab and cannot be found, the driver shall have the right to give particulars to the police officer on duty on the point where the bilk occurred, such particulars to be duly forwarded to the owner of the cab, as at the present time the drivers are compelled to account for the correct amount registered on the taximeter."
L.C.C. as Licensing Authority.
"There is a unanimous feeling amongst the licensed workers of London that the time has arrived when the authority for licensing the drivers and public-service vehicles of London should be under the control of the London County Council, and that the surplus revenue, together with a small weekly tax upon the drivers, should be used as a superannuation fund for such licensed drivers."
The Home Secretary, with whom was Sir E. R. Henry, in the course of his reply, said : " As a member of the general public, I think that, on the whole, the cabman is popular with the public, and his popularity has markedly increased of late, with a general improvement of the status of the driver. It must be remembered that there was a great deal of irritation, and it was inevitable that it should be so with this new incursion of motorcabs in London. First of all, there was a natural jealousy on the part of the horse cabmen, whose business was slipping away because of this competition, and there was the irritation of everybody who had been nearfy run over, or thought they had been nearly run over, the last class being much greater than the first." He Al not think that any complaint could be made against the system of private reports which had been mentioned, and he expressed astonishment at the complaint that magistrates convicted on the evidence of a constable who " said someone had told him that a driver was exceeding the speed lim nit." With regard to the suggestion for an improved method of signalling, other than the policeman's outstretched arm, Mr. Gladstone ridiculed the proposal for the institution of street semaphores. Last year, he continued, they had seen 3,000 motorcabs put on the London streets, and it was common knowledge that the speed limit was continually exceeded by the drivers of
these machines; this circumstance was causing much concern to the public. The men were entitled to protection against unfair decisions, if any took place. Far stricter supervision of motor drivers in London was essential than of horse drivers, and, if there was a doubt as to the fitness of a man to have a license, judgment must be given on the side of the public. He should wait for that further information which was essential to the more serious allegations. Ile wekomed the suggestion that a speed indicator should be placed on the cab in the interests of the driver.
Sir E. R. Henry, Commissioner of Police, contradicted the statement that 6o per cent, of the drivers of horse cabs gave information to the police against motorcab drivers. The figure was not 5 per cent.
At a subsequent mass meeting of drivers held at St. George's Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, the Hon. R. Guiness, M.P., Mr. S. F. Edge, and other speakers commented upon the reception which the deputation had been accorded.
A New York "Fleece."
What appears to he an attempt to defraud would-be taxicab drivers has recently occupied the attention of the New York Police, who felt justified, on the isth ultimo, in closing the office, at 826, Sixth Avenue, of the International Autocab Company. It appears that the "company " opened the office about a fortnight earlier, and advertised for a large number of drivers. Some 500 men responded to the advertisement, and each one was required to deposit ten dollars before being sent to a tailoring store where a further. sum of ten dollars was demanded of him as a deposit for the twiform for which he was measured. February the e.,,th was the date given to the drivers as the Advantages for Genitral Motor Cab Company's Drivers. Thc issue of the following notice to tile drivers by the committee of management of the General Motor Cab Company, Limited, has caused considerable satisfaction :— " To mark their appreciation of the greater care with which the men as a whole are now driving, the managing committee have decided that as from January 1st, 1909, they will discontinue the arrangement under which the men pay 6d, per day for insurance, and the money paid by the drivers since 'that date will be refunded to them as soon as the accounts are made up. The arrangements with regard to insurance which. were in force for igo8 are not affected by this notice. It is earnestly hoped the drivers will show their appreciation of the above by making every effort to avoid accidents. " The committee of management are also pleased to announce that all cabs will be litted with canopy coverings as soon as the necessary work can he carried out." We are now informed that, since the issue of this notice, the insurance contributions, which stood to the drivers' credit during last year, have been repaid to the contributors, together with, to those of the drivers who have had no accidents during the period covered by the payments, five per cent. interest. Various Scales : Parisian Difficulties. Paris is afflicted with a multiplicity of taxicab tariffs, and, unfortunately for the public, the multiplicity must he maintained. The scale of charges drawn up hy the Prefect of the Seine comprisLe; fourteen different tariffs for motor taxicabs only. Parisian cab companies, curiously, are not under an obligation to adopt any particular tariff : the only rule is that, for a twopassenger cab, the price must not exceed I fr. 25c. (Is) for the first kilometre (0.62 mile) and 5o centimes (5d.) for each additional kilometre. Similarly : for a four-passenger cab, the maximum is 'ft. soc. for the first kilometre, and 6o centimes each additional kilometre; whilst, for landaus and six-passenger cabs, it is 2 francs the first, and So centimes each additional kilometre. A perusal of the tariffs drawn up by the authorities throws little light on the actual conditions in the city, for neither horsedrawn nor motor-driven cabs work on the kilometre. The horse-cab tariff has, for four or five years, been the practically-uniform one of 7;',d. for the first 1,200 metres (t,32o yards) and !d, fcr every additional 400 metre=. (4.37 yards). When the motor taxicab was introduced, the minimum fare was made the same as that of the horse-cal:s, in order to attract custorner,z, but the distancecovered for this sum was always less than 1,200 metres. At the present time, $7 companies out Of 172 give 900 metres pS yard,) for the ininimum of 7.;d.: among these, are two of the largest companies, using respectively Renault and Bayard-Clement two-cylinder cabs, and this scale of travel is by far the most common in Paris. Another 66 compan'es only give 600 metres (656 yards) for the minimum fare; 26 companies adopt the horse-cab tariff of 1,200 metres for 7.1d.; and 23 have eight different tariffs between them. The motorcabs which run at the same price as the horse-cabs are in a decided minority, these cabs, with the exception of the single-cylinder de Dion-Boutons recently put into service, being owned by small firms. In considering the situation in Paris it should be borne in mind that the use of the taximeter was very general on horse-drawn vehicles some time before the rnotorcab made its appearance. There are still further complications, such as extra payment for passing beyond the city walls, running into ihe Bois de Boulogne (which is, however, within the city limits), the carrying of baggage or extra passengers, and service after certain hours. The tariffs mentioned are all for journeys within the city of Paris. A common-sense improvement that has just been made is to the effect that if a journey is made to any spot outside the city walls, and a return to the city made with the same vehicle, the return indemnity cannot be claimed. Tendency Towards Uniformity. It is very probable that, at no distant date, all two-passenger cabs will be obliged to travel 1,200 metres for a 71d. fare, as is now done by all the horse-drawn cabs, and a certain number of the motor-taxis. The rates will not be settled by legislation, but will be brought to this standard by competition. Owning companies have realised this, and are already displacing the heavier vehicles which were first put on the streets by lighter ones, with single or two-cylinder engines. The large cab, charging 71(1. per goo or 600 metres, will still remain, but it will be in no way a competitor of the smaller but more numerous two-passenger vehicles. Frequent Complaints. Numerous complaints having been made by the public, the Municipal Council has recently gone into the subject of motorcab fares, and has decided that, whilst it is impossible to apply a uniform tariff, it is essential that the rates charged should be clearly announced. The price per kilometre (or prices, where more than one tariff is applied) must be clearly marked on the taximeter flag, Thus, the figures 33, 4o, or 50, indicating that the rate of travel is at 33, lo or 50 centimes per kilometre will be shown. There will, however, be no such thing as a 33-centime fare, the minimum rate of 7.t,d. being main-• mined. It is difficult to understand why this method of marking should be adopted, for, even on a horse cab running 1,200 metres for 71d., and Id. for every additional 400 metres, the rate of travel does not descend to anything near 33 centimes until four kilometres have been covered. A uniform colour will be adopted for each of the more general tariffs in vogue, only cabs running on this tariff, or a lower one, being allowed to have the regulation colour. These changes have not yet been put into force, but may be applied at a very early date. The total number of motorcabs in service, in Paris, at the end of December, igo8, was 2,924; the number at the end of December, r907, was 1,465. Horse cabs numbered 9,608 at the end of 1907, and 8,790 at the end of last year.Tags