D.C. Cabs Told to Switch From Zone Fares to Meters

Levin said he was pleased with the outcome. "Mayor Fenty's decision is the right one," he said in a statement. "Washington is a world-class capital city with a strong mayor, and his decision reflects that."

In making his decision, Fenty said he was heavily influenced by an August survey of 611 D.C. residents, conducted by Zogby International for the taxi commission. According to the survey, 53 percent of cab riders find the zones difficult to use, up 12 percentage points from a survey in 1994, a fact that Fenty said he found "instructive." He also cited other findings: 69 percent wanted a visible fare; 73 percent thought that meters would make overcharging less likely; 68 percent wanted a clearer relationship between the fare and time and distance traveled.

"It's a system D.C. residents feel the time has come to end," he said of zones.

Taxicab Commission Chairman Leon J. Swain Jr. said it will take a while to put zones to rest. "It's not something we're going to be able to do overnight," he said.

Currently, under zones, the minimum ride is $6.50. Details about a new rate structure remain to be decided. The changeover could be expensive for cab owners; estimates are that a meter costs from $300 to $500.

Some cabdrivers warned that the dispute is not over.

"Get ready for the strike, the big strike," said William Wright of the Taxicab Industry Group, one of several groups representing drivers. "We want him to reconsider."

Wright added: "We're going to find a way to get this overturned. If we have to go to every single member of the Senate and the House, we're going to do that."

The vast majority of the District's cabdrivers are independent contractors, and many fear the loss of the zone system will lead to a loss of independence. They point to other large cities, where the industry is run by a few large corporations. Many are disappointed that Fenty did not choose a much-talked-about hybrid system that would preserve zones and furnish receipts, using the Global Positioning System.

D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) was among the backers of the hybrid plan. He stuck to that position yesterday, saying Fenty's decision "will greatly increase the fares for people who live east of the Anacostia River and travel to and from far Northwest."

Yellow Cab installed zone-fare calculators in 300 taxis during the past year. General Manager Roy Spooner Sr. said yesterday that the company "will convert our system to whatever the city requires" but that he was disappointed in Fenty's decision.

"It was not well-thought-out," Spooner said, citing the possibly negative impact on drivers' livelihoods and on the wallets of riders who travel to far-flung parts of the city.