DC Transportation Fares Increased

Kirstie Murr, Tower Staff
January 14, 2012
Filed under News

The District of Columbia Taxi-Cab Commission accepted a fare rate adjustment and the Metro has proposed increased costs, making travel in the city more expensive for University students.

The fare adjustments include the drop rate, which includes the fare that passengers are charged at the beginning of the taxi ride, remaining at $3. The “additional mile” rate, however, increases from $1.50 to $2.16, according to the Taxicab Modernization Plan. The wait time rate increases from $15 to $25 per hour.

Some fees have been eliminated, such as the dismissal of taxicab, luggage, personal service, animal, and additional passenger fees.

The fare adjustments were demanded by the taxi industry. According to the 20-page report, some drivers saw a loss of thirty percent of their earned income since meters were imposed in April 2008 by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty. Rate trips used to be based on a zone system.

Chairman Ron Linton said “these changes are reasonable,” according to the Washington Post.

Credit card machines as well as a navigation system will be installed in each cab, and there will be more fuel-efficient standards set for each taxi.

Even though there is a limited amount of data according to Mr. Linton, the Taxi-Cab Commission concluded that the meter fare would improve drivers’ revenue. There will be a slight fare increase for the customer of about $1.28 for short trips of two and one-half miles or less. But the drivers will be disadvantaged when doing trips of five or more miles.

The fare adjustments have received mixed feelings from students at Catholic University.

Gabrielle Solimine, a Sophomore Media-Studies major, said that “the fares are un-fair and that those decisions have been made because of gas prices and hard economic times.” Solimine, who is from New Jersey, said that “the tolls have increased up to 50 percent in her hometown and that businesses will see more profits only if they lower their prices.”

“But those fares are fair and logical as long as taxi drivers gain more revenue without changing the luggage fee,” said Germinal Van, a Sophomore Politics Major.

The introduction of paying by credit and debit card is a step further to improve taxicab services for Mr. Linton, according to the Washington Post.

The Taxi Cab Commission is not the only company adjusting its fares. The D.C. Metro-Rail System has also proposed a $1.6 billion operating budget by increasing its bus and rail fares by five percent as well as its parking rates.

Riders with paper fare-cards would be impacted the most by these changes. Riders who still use these paper tickets, would have to pay $6 during rush hour and $4 in off-peak times for a one-way flat rate, according to the Washington Post.

The maximum fare would rise to $5.75 from $5 and the base fare during off-peak would increase from $1.60 to $1.70 for a trip arking fees and garages would increase to $.25and cash payments would reach near a dollar. Riders would pay $2 for local/limited-stop bus and $4 for express bus.

These changes would allow the Metro to overcome its $116 million deficit in the next operating budget. The budget would improve equipment and escalator maintenance, enhance security, continue advanced safety programs, maintain Metro access service, prepare the new Silver Line Metrorail service to Dulles International Airport and expand the rush hour service.

But with the delays and malfunctions the riders are facing, these changes will be popular.

“Years of not spending enough money on maintenance” have hurt the system, said Metro General Manager Richard Sales on the Washington Post.

These increases would represent a bigger part in riders’ budgets.

“A fare increase would greatly affect how often I could go into the city, as well as how I often I could go out to eat or see a movie,” said Christine Wilson, a Sophomore History major, in an email. Metro fares take up the majority of her budget. “If the Metro
installs flat rates– that would also limit riders’ options.”

“Travelling from one end of a line to another is worth the price, but it should not cost this much to travel such a short distance,” said Mary Rose Deppershmidt, a Sophomore Theology major, who uses often the Metro to go one or two stops to go to the grocery store.