Meter Myths

Mr. Fenty shouldn't buy the D.C. taxi industry's sob stories.

ONE OF THE myths being trotted out by opponents of taxicab meters is that they'll drive the hardworking, independent cabbie out of business. According to this horror story, the District -- ¿ la New York City -- will be short of cabs because only monolithic companies will have the money to operate. What the spinners of this tale omit is that it's another word that starts with "m" that limits taxis in the Big Apple. The District has no expensive medallion system that caps the number of cabs, so the only thing meters will bring to D.C. is a fair and understandable system of pricing.

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty must decide by Wednesday whether to opt out of a congressional requirement to replace the current zone system with meters. The issue has long been a charged one, and in recent days protests by some of the city's taxi drivers have escalated. We hope Mr. Fenty will not be intimidated into sticking with the status quo or listening to those who see a weird charm in the antiquated system. Instead, he should listen to those who actually use the system. They'll tell him -- two out of three, according to a recent survey -- that cab service in the District stinks.

Ensuring a rational and fair pricing system has to be the first step in reform. People who use cabs should be charged according to the service they receive, and the only fair measures are time and distance. Why should one person's cab ride be underwritten by the misfortune of another? Why should someone traveling six blocks pay as much as someone traveling six miles? There is no reason other than the clout of an industry that has a stake in a system that obscures the amount of money being charged and earned. A compromise that is being advanced that would use meters to charge zone rates would provide a clear record of payment but would do nothing to address the inherent unfairness of zones.

Meters are by no means a panacea for all the ills that afflict taxi service in the District. The ease of obtaining a hack license is probably why there are persistent complaints about ill-mannered drivers and ill-equipped cabs. So, too, is the fact that the D.C. Taxicab Commission has proven incapable of providing effective oversight. Whether real change will finally come is up to Mr. Fenty.