An American Taximeter.
Page 9
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At a time when the question of " extras," and of their non-registration on the taximeters by drivers of motorcabs is prominent in this country, a few notes on bow the NewYork licensing authorities overcome the difficulty, so far as extra passengers are concerned, and a brief description of apopular and well-tried type of American taximeter, will not be out of season. In New York, as in many other cities in the U.S.A., two tariffs have been in vogue for some time: one for one or two passengers ; the other for three or four passengers. With such a system, occasions of disputes, between drivers and passengers, about extra sixpences, are held to be impossible. Our U.S.A. visitors consider that the English system is open to very-serious criticism., chiefly he-cause, as we have so frequently pointed out to our readers, it leads to confusion of the passengers, whilst motorcab owners suffer considerable loss of revenue unless passengers insist upon the recording of the extras on the taximeters—a course which is rarely taken by a hirer.
The three small illustrations on this page show the Jones taximeter, the invention of Mr. Joseph W. Jones, whose name is closely associated with a very-successful speedometer. This taximeter is constructed in a remarkably-simple manner, and its makers claim for it complete freedom from mechanical derangement; a further claim which is put forward, is that neither the driver nor any unauthorized person can tamper with it.
A totalizing arrangement shows exactly what the passenger has paid, including all " extras " for luggage, and from the direct reading of this indicator the relations between owner and driver, sofar as the latter's perc.entage of the takings is concerned, can be settled without necessitating the adding together of the records of the fare register and " extras " register, etc.
The construction of the meter is both simple and robust, and its appearance is quite pleasing. In our front view of the instrument, the flag is shown at the " Vacant " or " For Hire " position, and the " Total Fare " to be paid is indicated, in dollars and cents, along a horizontal line near the centre of the whole dial; below the fare indicator, there is another one for all " extras " other than those covered by the tariff for the time being, hut, as the " extras " are " clocked " up on the " extras " indicator, the amount is automatically added to the " Total Fare."
So far as luggage is concerned, the driver of a cab fitted wills a Jones meter is as free to appropriate all the
" extras " as is the driver of a vehicle equipped with any other make of taximeter. In fact, the Jones meter also provides him with an opportunity for "doing " the hirer by adding the amount indicated for " extras" to that shown as the " Total Pare," trusting to the passenger's lethargic nature that the inclusion of the former amount in the latter will be overlooked. The " extras " for passengers, however, are not " clocked." up separately; but, when the cab is hired for one or two passengers, the flag is moved so that tariff No. 1 is indicated in the allotted space towards the top of the dial. If engaged for three or four passengers, tariff No. 2 must be brought into
operation. The mileage charge for
this two tariffs differ. The instru
ment is, practically, a " two-speed" recorder, but the change-over is effected without undue complication of the internal mechanism.
The back view of the meter is shown. in another of the small illustrations, and in it the various parts are lettered for reference. The flag is provided with a locking device (A), and this obviates the probability of the flag's being accidentally knocked over by the driver, or tampered with by any other person. The number of trips made by the vehicle is indicated at B, whilst the total revenue is given at C. The total mileage (D) and the hired mileage (E) are also recorded. During such periods as the flag remains in the non-recording position, the time is recorled at H. F and G are sockets for the clock key, and the key for manipulating the " extras," respectively.
We are informed that about onehalf of the motorca-bs in the U.S.A. are fitted with Jones taximeters, and that their accuracy was well demonstrated by a recent public test in New York. This test, which was witnessed by the City officials and the Press, consisted of the engagement, from New-York cab ranks, of 33 motorcabs; these vehicles, all of which were equipped with ,Jones meters, were despatched over a number of routes to places at which chequers awaited them. At the end of the test, every meter showed the same reading for a given route, Mr. Joseph Jones, who is the president of the Jones Taximeter Cu., and the vice-president of the American Taximeter Co., is now studying the cab question in this country. Markt and Co. (London), Ltd., of 6, City Road, Finsbury Square, E.C., has acquired the sole rights for Great Britain, and is prepared to discuss details with interested readers.