Big Demand for Radio on Paris Taxicabs
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THE organization of the taxicab business in Paris differs greatly from the method employed in this country, in that licensed drivers hire their cabs daily from one or other of the fleet proprietors. Of the many fleet owners, Citroen, Renault, and Peugeot are the largest, and these concerns manufacture and maintain their own vehicles.
The equipping of cabs with radio sets in Paris was commenced in N,ovember, 1034, when the first batch of 50 machines was put on the road. In a little over six months the number of taxicabs so equipped has risen from 50 to no fewer than 3,100.
Drivers are charged a small extra premium for the hire of a vehicle equipped with radio, but despite this addition to the driver's expenses, many men are now refusing to hire cabs without radio, and frequently go to rival concerns in order to obtain cabs so fitted.
An increase in receipts of from 25
to 85 per cent. is reported by drivers, and it is said that many patrons prefer to wait until they can engage a radio-equipped cab rather than take the first available vehicle ; the fact that the cab embodies radio is, of course, plainly marked.
police regulations insist that the driver may not have charge of the radio controls, nor may the speaker be fixed anywhere but in the passenger compartment.
The Philips radio sets used are the product of Philips Lamps, Ltd., 145, Charing Crtass Road, London, .W.C.2. They are fitted either in the luggage boot at the rear of the vehicle or under the back seat or floorboards. A special' Philips aerial is fitted under the body. and in nearly every case the sets are installed during the production of the vehicles.
The speaker is mounted in the partition between the driver's and passengers' compartment, and is behind the upholstery so that it cannot . be seen. A neat control box is provided in a convenient position immediately above the arm-rest of the passenger's seat on the off side.
Only two knobs are required to control the four necessary operations. The smaller knob operates the main switch and volume control, the larger knob being for tuning ; it also changes the wave length.
Advantages of the Philips radio set for this type of work include the fact that suppressors are not required on the sparking plugs and that the set takes only 2i .amperes from the vehicle battery.
We are told that no difficulties have been experienced in operating or maintaining the sets, and it is expected that, in view of the initial success of the experiment, many more cabs in Paris will, in the near future, "he equipped with radio.