Arlington County wants to require greater fuel efficiency in its taxis and give the county manager the ability to impose surcharges if gasoline prices jump.
The initial fuel efficiency standard would be 26 miles per gallon for the year between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011. By 2020, the standard would be 35 mpg. In both cases, the standard would adhere to federal standards if those were more stringent.
Automakers’ car fleets must average a fuel efficiency standard of 27.5 miles per gallon, while light trucks — including sport utility vehicles — must average 24 miles per gallon.
John Massoud, vice president of Blue Top Cab, praised the proposed changes and said he has been working on changing the rules for the past three years.
“The people of Arlington County want to breathe clean air,” he said. “As a businessman, I am more than happy to [fulfill] that need.”
County Manager Ron Carlee called the changes a “generational rewrite” of the county’s taxicab regulations. Under the proposal, Carlee would be able to institute a fuel surcharge if there was a sustained increase in gasoline prices and he determined the charge was needed to support cab service. For example, if the range of gasoline prices in Virginia rose to between $3.35 and $3.84, he could impose a surcharge of 50 cents.
Massoud said the provision would mean that taxi rates would be better tied to fuel prices and that the process would work better under the county manager’s discretion.
Last year, taxi employees appealed to the board in May for a rate increase as gas prices soared. The board enacted an emergency ordinance June 17 calling for a $1 gasoline surcharge. A 20-cent increase in the mileage rate to $1.80 eventually replaced the surcharge in August.
“Now, that would be done almost immediately,” Massoud said.
Though the proposal to advertise the changes passed unanimously, board member Chris Zimmerman said he had “great doubts” about turning rate changes into an administrative process, rather than one decided by the board. The board would keep the ability to change regular fare rates besides the surcharges.
A public hearing is scheduled for June 13.
