War of Taxi Firms Enjoyed by Public

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 610, 12 March 1929, Page 1

War of Taxi Firms Enjoyed by Public

RUSH OF PASSENGERS CHECKERS MAKE BATTLE Battle of the Taxis, between the Checker Company and a rival company, is now waging bitterly. From 8 o’clock yesterday morning until 4 o’clock this morning the 40 cabs of the Checker Company were kept on the move. Over 2,000 passengers were transported for the day. Checker Taxis have cut prices to Is for the first mile and 2s for any run up to five miles, and the public have responded by overwhelming the company with business. “Business has more than doubled,” said Mr. A. E. Parker, superintendent of the company, to The Sun this morning. “There has been a spontaneous response to the drastic cut. We thought the rush would not start until late yesterday afternoon or this morning, but from 8 o’clock yesterday morning we were deluged with calls for cars and the last car out was put away at 4 o’clock this morning.” The company had had to refuse as many calls as it had handled, he said. There had been a phenomenal amount of business for runs within the ia~ milo urea. “Forward bookings are full/ 1 he continued. “Calls for to-night’s trains have been pouring in and we have had to refuse countless orders.” On the streets the cabs are never empty. As soon as one passenger is dropped another is ready to take his place, and the regular Checker stands are empty all the while. ORDER EVERY MINUTE “At one period we were receiving orders and dispatching orders at the rate of one a minute,” sa.id Mr. Parker. “Wo always try to keep faith with the public, but we must apologise to those who could not get cars. The circumstances are unusual and the demand is so great we find difficulty in handling it. However, the staff is being increased, and the public can rely on Checker to serve it to the limit of the company’s resources.” “QUITE RIDICULOUS” BLUE TAXIS WILL NOT COMPETE WOULD SOONER LAY UP CARS “So far as Blue Taxis are concerned, we would sooner lay our cars up than compete on such a ridiculous basis,” said Mr. C. Johnston, manager of Blue Taxis, Ltd., in conversation with a Sun man to-day. ‘The price now is quite ridiculous. Any business that renders the public a service is entitled to a fair rethurn for that service. “The public will naturally? support the cut,” he continued. “People who never rode in a taxi before can now go careering round the city—at the expense of the taxi companies. 1 say definitely that it is quite impossible for any taxi company to nay on the present charges. Auckland now has the cheapest taxi service in the world.” Asked if the price war was making much difference to his company, Mr. Johnson said: “Yes, a marked difference. The public will always favour the cheaper prices. We have always given a good, reliable service, however, and we have no intention of cutting the prices. A lot of the public know the price war cannot last and they are making the best of it while it is on.”