"Drive-It-Yourself"

Having successfully--or apparently so --swept through the country, the Drive-It-Yourself movement has at length invaded New York City also. The movement has resulted from an inspiration in the fertile brain of John Hertz, taxicab king and controller of the Yellow Cab Co. (TIME, May 5, 1924; July 7). It has been incorporated as "The Yellow Drive - It-Yourself" System, Inc."

The new enterprise establishes stations where anyone with a driver's license can obtain a car to drive himself. Charges for this service are based on miles run. On ordinary days, the rates are 12-c- a mile for Ford touring cars, 17-c- for Ford closed cars, 20-c- for Hertz touring cars and 22-c- for the Hertz closed six-cylinder car. On Saturday afternoons, Sundays and holidays, an extra per-hour charge is added.

To obtain a car, a licensed operator needs only ten minutes, a few references and a deposit of $10 for Fords and $15 for Hertz cars. The Company bears all the upkeep and operation costs, even including gasoline; if the driver buys gas in the course of his travels, he is credited with its cost by the Company.

The new Company, which is a subsidiary of the Yellow Cab Manufacturing Corporation, has about 150 stations through the country already; it is now operating some 600 of its cars in Chicago as well as about 100 each in Cleveland, Louisville, St. Louis.