When Mayor Adrian Fenty announced cabs would switch from the zone system to meters, D.C. residents rejoiced without considering the effect this change would have on taxi drivers. The Washington area’s disregard for taxi drivers was on display again when commuters complained about D.C.’s new $4 flag drop fee. Instead, passengers should recognize that the flag fee is necessary to help taxi drivers transition from the zone system to the meter system.
A flag drop fee is the base price of a cab fare. The proposed drop fee is higher than in other cities—New York City’s is $2.50, while Chicago’s is $2.25. The higher fee, however, is necessary to help the taxi cab industry transition from the zone system to meters.
“Our goal with setting the rates was that we wanted to mirror the current fare system as far as the cost of the taxi ride while just changing the method in which those fares were calculated,” Mayor Fenty’s spokesperson Dena Iverson said.
Ideally, the flag fee could be reduced after taxi drivers, many of whom are independent operators, adapt the meter system.
Taxi drivers won’t find support like Iverson’s from the members of a group opposing the flag fee.
“We were disappointed and decided to take action and start to raise some hell, if you will,” said Jack Jacobson, a Washington resident and the co-founder of D.C. Residents for Reasonable Taxi Fares. On Wednesday the group’s online petition opposing the flag fee had 919 signatures.
“It’s entirely irrational for costs in Arlington to be 25 percent lower than costs in D.C.,” he said. Jacobson blamed the high fare fees on lobbying from taxi associations, but said he liked the meters.
The zone system was archaic and had to go, but taxi drivers, like members of all changing industries, deserve to be eased out of outdated systems with the consumers’ help.
Taxi drivers perform a vital service in the Washington area, as the strike on Halloween proved. D.C. residents should be willing to make this small sacrifice to help taxi drivers transition to the meter system.
