A New Map for Your Cab, But It's Still a Fare Game
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 15, 2007; Page DZ03
As commuters know, not everything in the world of the District's taxi system makes sense.
Under a fee structure that carves the city into zones, you could ride one block and be charged for two zones, while you could ride 10 blocks and be charged for a single zone. Fares pasted on the windows are sometimes outdated, failing to reflect recent increases by the Taxicab Commission. And on the map that explains the zones, north actually faces west.
|
|
If the D.C. Department of Transportation has its way, at least two of those three issues will be solved.
That department recently unveiled a newly designed map, which includes an updated fare chart and directions in which north really does face north.
The map features additional streets, including North and South Capitol streets and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, and landmarks, such as Union Station, the U.S. Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial, to help passengers determine where they want to go and how much it would cost.
"If you're riding in a taxi cab in the District, it is your right as a rider to have access to clear and concise map, zone and fare information," Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) said in a statement.
The controversial zone system, however, remains unchanged, as the city still has not gone to metered fares. The boundaries of the zones also remain the same.
The new map still requires the approval of the Taxicab Commission before it is installed in the city's cabs. Several messages left for a commission attorney were not returned.
"We hope that the commission will agree that this map is very customer friendly and serves the needs of riders," said Emeka C. Moneme, acting director of the city's transportation department. "And we hope that the commission places the map into District taxicabs as soon as possible."
As for the zone system, which has been in place since 1933 when Congress banned meters in the District, there appears to be little movement on the push from many taxi passengers to change it. Although former mayor Anthony A. Williams (D) supported going to meters, the taxicab unions support the zone system. Fenty has said he is reviewing the matter.
More information can be found at http:/
