WANT ALL TAXICABS RATED FOR NEATNESS

The New York Times
December 31, 1922

Hotels Seek Classification as Protection to Patrons and Public in General.

FOR FULL POLICE CONTROL

Boland Urges Wide Use of Flags—Schedules to Be Governed by Color Displayed.

Urging centralized police control over taxicabs as a safeguard to the public, the Hotel Association of New York City, through its counsel, Frank A. K. Boland, recommended in a statement, yesterday, that taxicabs be classified according to their appearance and mechanical perfection with colored flags to indicate the rate of service.

As a supplement to the flag primer recently issued by the Hotel Association, explaining the rate charges at present in use for green flag, white flag and red flag taxicabs, Mr. Boland said that the taxicab today flying the red flag, which is the highest rate allowed, is often the most dilapidated of all cab service.  He urged that the rates for taxicab service would be based on appearance and mechanical perfection.  Such a classification would be an incentive to every taxicab owner to have his taxicab get into that class of service which allowed the highest rate of fare, he said.

"The Hotel Association is vitally interested in taxicab legislation," said Mr. Boland.  "Hotel patrons and guests look to hotels to protect them against inefficient and dishonest taxicab drivers.  At present there is a dual authority over taxicabs, part vested in the police and part in the Department of Licenses.  Chief Magistrate William G. McAdoo and Police Commissioner Enright urged the passage of the Steinberg bill, which provided for the transfer of of jurisdiction to the police department.  The bill finally was disapproved because of certain features with which Mayor Hylan was not in accord.

"With the full authority to classify and control taxicabs the Police Department ought to be able to eliminate the evils attendant upon the present situation."

The taxicab flag primer, indicating rates taxi drivers drivers may ask at present, is as follows:

Green Flag—First half mile, 20 cents; each additional quarter mile, 10 cents.  First one-third mile, 20 cents; each additional one-third mile, 10 cents.  First one-quarter mile, 10 cents; each additional one-quarter mile, 10 cents.  These three schedules have the same rate for the first mile, 40 cents.

White Flag—First one-half mile, 30 cents; each additional quarter mile, 10 cents.  First one-quarter mile, 20 cents; each additional one-quarter mile, 10 cents.  One mile rate for the first schedule is 50 cents; for the second schedule, 40 cents.

Red Flag—First half-mile, one or two passengers, 30 cents; each additional one-quarter mile, 10 cents. First half-mile, two or more passengers, 30 cents; each additional one-sixth mile, 10 cents.  One mile rate for the first schedule is 50 cents; for the second schedule, 60 cents.