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Rotating Taxi Strike Starts Today in D.C.

Michael Williamson/The Washington Post
TO PROTEST D.C. MAYOR ADRIAN FENTY'S plan to mandate time-and-distance meters in the city's taxicab fleet, some cabbies are set to strike today, the first day of a rolling multi-week protest that is scheduled to hit again next Tuesday, then two Wednesdays from now and so on. As The Post's Nikita Stewart writes, it's unclear how many cab drivers will participate.

Last month, Fenty announced a final pricing structure for the meters, which will replace D.C.'s generations-old zone-based pricing system. Writes Stewart:

Taxi drivers have said the changes could put them out of business and discourage poorer residents from taking cabs because they will not be able to predict their fares.
Also in the works: possible strikes on opening day for the Nationals' new baseball stadium and during key conventions.

» "Cabdrivers to Strike Today" [WaPo]

Photo by Michael Williamson/The Washington Post

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COMMENTS (4)

  • Ah, jeeze, the cabbies are going to strike?

    We should go back to the zone system immediately, and increase fares to a minimum $35.

    By AUA , Posted February 4, 2008 10:57 AM

  • "not be able to predict their fares" as opposed to some random number the driver made up and since the casual rider doesn't know the zones he/she will just have to trust the cabbie.

    By Jason Yang , Posted February 4, 2008 12:17 PM

  • i've lived in DC for 7 months now. I think it's funny that as soon as the cabbie knows i'm not a tourist, he magically reduces my fare. I feel bad for the tourists who arn't familiar with the zones here. and who could blame them, this is the only city in the U.S. that uses zones! Time for a change that is fair!

    By Jay , Posted February 5, 2008 11:17 AM

  • I took a cab from DC to VA this weekend. Prior to the ride, I checked what the fare should be online using the DC Taxicab Fare calculator. The fare calculator said the fare should have been $8.65, however when I arrived at my destination the cab driver tried to charge me $14. I told him I checked the fare online and he then said to pay him whatever I thought was fair.

    By JAH , Posted February 11, 2008 1:33 PM
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