Change my location 
|
|
Article History There are updates to this article.
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - It may take some green for all of the cabs in The City to go green.
Two proposals have been put forward to increase the fee cabdrivers pay companies per 10-hour shift by at least $12.50. Both are aimed at reducing carbon emissions from cabs by 20 percent by 2011.
Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin introduced a proposal Monday at the Board of Supervisors Government Audit and Oversight Committee that would increase the gate fee across the board by $5 — from $91.50 to $96.50 — and then allow an additional charge of $7.50 if the taxicab is deemed a green vehicle. A separate proposal from Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier differs in that it permits an additional charge of $10.
Taxicab Commission Chairman Paul Gillespie, who is a cabdriver, said, “This is going to take 30,000 tons of greenhouse-gas emissions out of the atmosphere and hopefully put a few thousand dollars in drivers’ pockets.”
Supporters of the legislation say the money saved on fuel from green vehicles would offset the cost of the higher fees.
“It is my contention that the amount of the surcharge would be offset, or more than offset, if you were driving a green vehicle,” Peskin said.
Supervisor Chris Daly said he wouldn’t support either proposal.
“To charge the lowest-earning segments of the taxi industry for a large share of cleaning up the industry is the wrong way to go,” Daly said.
The so-called gate fee is usually a controversial issue. Cab companies have argued they need sizeable gate increases to remain in business, while drivers argue against gate increases without meter increases.
“Just taking money from us without giving us anything more doesn’t work,” said Thomas George-Williams, chairman of the United Taxi Workers, a group representing a group of cabdrivers.
Peskin’s proposal would also set a date of July 2008 for the Taxicab Commission to begin rejecting approval of a vehicle as a taxicab if it’s not green.
The Budget Analyst’s Office is conducting a report on how the proposal would impact drivers’ annual take in time for next week’s committee meeting when the two proposals will be discussed.
 # 4,315 of 5,473 |
 EMAIL ME THIS STORY |
ARTICLE HISTORY 
Comments from Examiner Readers
7:10 PM MST on Mon., Jun. 2, 2008 re: "Taxi meter enforcement under way in the District"
Report as inappropriate
8:55 AM MST on Tue., May. 6, 2008
re: "Few D.C. cabs ready as meter deadline looms"
Report as inappropriate
9:57 AM MST on Mon., May. 5, 2008
re: "Few D.C. cabs ready as meter deadline looms"
Report as inappropriate
8:02 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 22, 2008
re: "Judge backs taxis’ switch to meters"
Report as inappropriate
7:53 PM MST on Fri., Feb. 8, 2008
re: "Group: More cabbie strikes ahead"
Report as inappropriate
10:59 AM MST on Tue., Feb. 5, 2008
re: "Group: More cabbie strikes ahead"
Report as inappropriate
12:41 PM MST on Thu., Jan. 17, 2008
re: "Fenty announces cuts to cab fares"
Report as inappropriate
12:44 PM MST on Fri., Oct. 12, 2007
re: "D.C. cabdrivers want residency exemption extended further"
Report as inappropriate
8:34 AM MST on Thu., Jun. 28, 2007
re: "New maps for cabs but eye is on meters"
Report as inappropriate
Examiner Reader said:
"Metered cab fares start at $3, plus a $1 gas surcharge, and increase 25 cents for each one-sixth of a mile traveled, or for every minute stopped in traffic or moving under 10 mph." That is a $4 drop charge. Seems like it is way too much. Lower it.
4 agree | 3 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Karl Rudder said:
On November 6, 1931 the DC Public Utilities Commission issued order no. 956 and listed 20 reasons to, "deny any version of the zone system to replace meters in DC taxicabs." (Free copy of PUC order no. 956 available by calling the Public Service Commission) Congress passed insulting legislation that forced the use of the zone system ("The Taxicab Rider" Wash. Post editorial 11/13/71) regardless of the fact that Judge Adkins completely upheld PUC order no. 956 (PUR 1932C pg 1) and the Appeals Court upheld Judge Adkins decision. The DC City Council has wasted hundreds of millions of dollars in maintaining the DC Taxicab Commission since 1987 just as Congress had created the DCTC and now the installation of meters in DC cabs is being persistently presented as merely an element of liking of Mayor Fenty. I have testified before the DC City Council since 1975 to make issue of the still standing court decisions to expose the fact that the DC taxicab zone system had not ever been approved!
4 agree | 4 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Karl Rudder said:
My address to the unique DC Taxicab Zone System has always been based on the basic, undeniable yet little known facts. Fact 1 - Meters were the original means that were used to compute taxicab fares in the District of Columbia. Fact 2 - The "zone system" was denied by the DC Public Utilities Commission for 20 reasons when they issued PUC order no. 956 on 11/6/31. (Free copy of PUC order no. 956 is available by calling the DC Public Service Commission) Fact 3 - The decision by the DC Public Utilities Commission was completely upheld by Judge Adkins (1932 PUR volC page 1) and Judge Adkins decision was upheld by the DC Appeals Court. (1932 75 F2d 1005) Fact 4 - The District of Columbia is the only major city in this country that does not use a meter to equitably compute taxicab fares as well as serve as a reliable means to record the income and compute the taxes due from local taxicab companies and drivers. Fact 5 - Reason no. 9 on PUC order no. 956 stated: "That proper account
4 agree | 4 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
As a D.C. resident who is excited to be able to economically ride taxis again, I say "hallelujah." The taxi industry's attempts to convince people that time-and-distance meters will result in higher prices are laughable.
6 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Billy Ray Edwards said:
I know why you censored my comment on the DC taxicab issue,all one has to do is check Mayor Fenty,Campain finance you will find out the Mayor took money from VA and MD taxicab CO.
79 agree | 66 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
hurricanewarningdc said:
I feel no sympathy for the cab drivers. None at all. The problem isn't that they'll make less money on the meter system than the zone system. Rather, the problem is that since most cabbies are crooks (in my experience and the experience of every person I know who lives in or visits DC), the meter system will reduce the extra money that they were pocketing illegally. They'll likely make more money with more rides via meter... but if you tack on what they were getting for the false charges for extra zones, baggage fees, etc, some will definitely lose out. As a consumer, all I can say is "bravo."
65 agree | 80 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Steve said:
Thank you, Mayor, not only for the meters but making sure that they are reasonable. How DC cabs think they deserve higher than New York ones is beyond me. And do they really think the strike will cripple the city? Guess what. We consumers can strike, too. No tips until this is resolved.
111 agree | 97 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Billy Ray Edwards said:
It should not be a decission of the mayor on meters in this unique histrocal taxicabs system in DC and the residents should have right to make this decission though referedum with the vote.
136 agree | 153 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
recyclist said:
Let's switch to meters already!!! It's simply ridiculous that we are still clinging to this unfair and arbitrary zone system. And while we're at it, let's get rid of the fuel surcharge and replace it with a per-mile or per-minute fuel rate increase. Why should a person taking a 1-mile trip pay the same fuel surcharge as someone traveling from NW to SE? Let the users pay the actual costs of their cab rides.
219 agree | 211 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree