Fenty caps cab fare increases at 5 percent a year
By: Michael Neibauer
Examiner Staff Writer
June 21, 2009
D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty has authorized the city’s taxicab commission to raise cab fares by as much as 5 percent while simultaneously taking away the commission’s power to implement any new fees.
In an executive order signed last week, Fenty delegated to the commission his authority to review and adjust taxicab meter rates by up to 5 percent without his prior approval. He also limited fare increases to one per year and barred the commission from establishing any additional charges, such as a fuel surcharge or fee for group rides, without his approval.
A 5 percent increase would amount to about 7.5 cents per mile under the District’s current fee structure.
“That is criminal,” said Nathan Price, a D.C. cab driver and chairman of the Professional Taxicab Drivers Association. “He’s going to force drivers to start stealing, whether it’s through overcharging or whatever, because they have to take care of their families.”
Taxicab Commission Chairman Leon Swain, a mayoral appointee, did not return repeated calls and e-mails for comment.
The current cab fare is $3 for the first one-sixth of a mile and 25 cents for each additional sixth. There is also a 25-cent-per-minute wait charge, or $15 per hour, that accrues when the cab is stopped. Every ride that starts and ends in D.C. is capped at $19.
The city’s estimated 6,500 taxicab drivers claim their incomes have withered since the Fenty-mandated switch one year ago from the zone fare system to time-and-distance meters. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 driver applicants have taken the hackers license exam since
April and roughly 50 percent are passing — meaning added competition and potentially less revenue for existing drivers.
The District’s adopted fiscal 2010 budget, which begins Oct. 1, includes multiple fee increases for taxicab licenses. During their April meeting, taxicab commissioners unanimously agreed that any fee increases should coincide with a fare increase.
A study of the fare structure is under way “to adjust our rates to be competitive with the rates in our jurisdictions in the surroundings jurisdictions,” Commissioner Paul Cohn said during that April meeting.
“We should not even consider of increasing the fees unless the fare is increased first,” Commissioner Inder Raj Pahwa said.
mneibauer@washingtonexaminer.com
