This week, the District of Columbia government proposed to deregulate the local taxi industry, which is facing challenges from ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft. Issued by the Department of For-Hire Vehicles (DFHV) through an emergency notice, the new rules permit cab drivers to institute all-digital meters and loyalty programs, accept smartphone feedback from customers, and more.
“The original regulations merely created a floor for taxicab service in the District that was already enjoyed in other major cities,” the DFHV report stated. “The pace of for-hire innovation in the past several years, the realities of the current market that now include lawful competition from private vehicles, and the increasing challenges of earning a living by driving a taxicab have combined to render [them] obsolete.”
