D.C. taxi rates, fees would rise under plan

D.C. cab riders will keep paying 50 cents for every bag a cabbie puts in his trunk, in addition to paying higher per-mile rates, under a new plan proposed by regulators Wednesday.

The D.C. Taxicab Commission tweaked its December proposal, which eliminated almost all extra surcharges but raised rates from $1.50 per mile to $2.16 per mile. Now the fare increase also comes with a bag fee and a fee for extra passengers if the cab is a van. The plan will become law in 30 days unless the commission alters it again.