Taxis
Taxi rules are too confusing, even for Congressmen
Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) got into a dispute with a cab driver over a fare, refused to pay the driver, then left in a different cab. Is this a "ride-and-ditch" scandal, as the City Paper dubbed it? Or was Nadler doing what any of us would do?
Photo by azipaybarah on Flickr.
What happened: Nadler got in a cab at Union Station and went to the Channel Inn, on Water Street in Southwest. He asked the cabbie to keep the meter running while he dropped off his luggage, then take him to Capitol Hill.
In New York, this would be perfectly acceptable. But, as it turns out, that's not the case in DC. Instead, according to the taxi laws, the meter has to be reset and a new trip started, including the $3 "flag drop" charge.
Or maybe not. The Hill reports that Taxi Commission Chair Leon Swain says Nadler is right. But DCTC's FAQ seems to say that if the rider originally asks for one destination, then arrives and wants to continue to another, it's counted as a second trip. It's also another trip if the second leg is a round trip or not "in one direction." That's probably the case for a trip from Union Station to the Channel Inn to the House side of Capitol Hill, depending on the definition of "one direction."
Either way, it's confusing. New York's method of simply keeping the meter running until the passenger gets out of the taxi makes a lot more sense.
Worse yet, it appears that if a group of people get in a cab to different destinations, they also have to pay multiple flag drop fees. According to 31 DCMR §801.7:
In cases where more than one passenger enters a taxicab at the same time on a pre-arranged basis (group riding) bound for different destinations, in addition to the applicable charges set out in this section, the fare shall be charged as follows: Whenever a passenger gets out, the fare shall be paid, the meter shall be reset, and the last passenger shall pay the remaining fee;Does "the meter shall be reset" involve charging the $3 flag drop all over again? I called DCTC, and the person I spoke to thought that was right. I didn't know this. Did you?
Compared to other cities, DC's taxi fare structure is quite hostile to groups of people sharing cabs. Not only do we have a $1.50 surcharge per passenger, which isn't present in NYC or many other cities, but in addition, someone can't get out halfway along a route without adding an extra $3 to the overall fare.
Nadler probably thought this driver was trying to scam him. If I had been in a cab with one or two other people and the driver had tried to charge another $3 flag drop to drop off someone along the way, or had tried to charge it after making a stop, I'd probably have thought that as well.
I've gotten in debates with taxi drivers before, like when one refused to take the route I asked. In that case, I also got out of that cab and into a different one. Nadler is going to send the driver the payment he had originally expected anyway, which is the right thing to do. But this could have happened to anyone, thanks to the way some drivers seem to scam for extra money, and the law is so nonsensical, confusing, or counterintuitive that someone might logically believe they are being scammed even if they're not.
Taxi drivers say the current rates are too low for them to make decent money. If that's the issue, extra high fees for groups is not a good answer. The fares should simply reflect what's necessary to keep enough taxis on the road.
(Disclosure: I used to live in Nadler's district and have met him a few times. I also have a friend who works for him, but I found out about this independently.)
 | David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.   |
Comments
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As far as I see it, that fee is designed to cover the cost of driving around to find another fare. Maybe I'm completely wrong, but that's how I understand it.
In Nadler's case, the cabbie didn't go out and drive around again to find another fare; he had another fare. In fact, he was just waiting, and there's a set cost for waiting time.
by Tim on Jul 14, 2010 3:58 pm • link • report
The multiple-destination-reset thing is idiotic. Depending on the route, it means you might be better off just taking two separate cabs.
These rules made slightly more sense under the zone system, I mean, why should a cab have to take you to (e.g.) two different destinations in a single zone and only receive one fare?
But with meters, all the complexities are eliminated: you pay for the time and distance you travel, plus an extra passenger fee (and even that is a bit of a gouge).
There is basically no extra cost to a cab to make two stops. He gets paid for the entire distance traveled. If it's not a straight line, so what? It's a longer trip.
I don't get this "rates are too low" business. We have the highest drop in the nation and a mileage rate that's in the middle.
It could be that there are just too many cabs. This is a factor of supply and demand. I personally have walked long distances instead of taking a cab because I am insulted by the typical level of incompetence and attempted cheating that I often get from cabs. I doubt I'm alone.
Maybe if the average cabbie wasn't a thief, there would be more demand.
by Jamie on Jul 14, 2010 3:58 pm • link • report
The fares are fine and the BS fees need to go. If cabbies can't hack it, we can reconsider. Until then, I still maintain that were being robbed due to their empty threats.
As long as we think of taxis first and foremost as a employment tool, we will keep getting robbed (and I will continue to avoid cabs at just about any cost).
by Reid on Jul 14, 2010 4:01 pm • link • report
I had two friends visiting from NYC one weekend and they thought for sure we were getting ripped off when three of us got in a cab and the total was already $5 before we took off.
What really irks me though is the combination of cabbies who won't take you home because they don't want to drive to your area (also part of the rules) and then have the nerve to complain about the fares with meters.
by DC Dan on Jul 14, 2010 4:06 pm • link • report
DC cabs are the worst in the nation. I have never been to another city where I've received such consistently poor service.
Half the time I have to tell the cab where he's going because he asks me how to get there. The other half the time, I have to tell them exactly HOW to go so they don't do something idiotic and self-serving like, say, drive up 18th Street through Adams Morgan on Friday night. I don't think a single cab has ever chosen to take Rock Creek Parkway without my instruction. Isn't there some basic requirement that you understand, at a minimum, the major arteries in this city?
On the other hand, in almost every other city, I've felt like the cab drove efficiently, easily figured our or knew where he was going without asking me, and didn't drive 15 MPH through congested areas on purpose to look for extra fares.
I really don't get why there's such a different culture here with the cabs, but I hate them.
by Jamie on Jul 14, 2010 4:08 pm • link • report
But @Jamie makes a great point about the number of cabs. I've seen a number of places that say (although they don't give the numbers) that DC has the highest numbers of taxis per capita. And I don't believe there's any system here like the medallions in NYC.
Regardless, I agree that this rule is both a) confusing and b) unnecessarily burdensome to riders. You would think that they could offer a different setting for the the meter drop that would eliminate the $3.00 charge for subsequent riders. Otherwise there's virtually no advantage - cost-wise- to cab-sharing.
Luckily, I've been very clear up front with drivers about sharing a cab with neighbors who are just a few blocks away. They've left the meter running and have received a much bigger tip from me as a result.
by EmilyHaHa on Jul 14, 2010 4:09 pm • link • report
- $2.00 for Large Luggage in truck (per piece)
- $0.50 for Large Luggage handled by driver (per piece)
I usually just put my roller carry-on with me in the backseat, though occasionally in the trunk (which they pop open but I always place in the trunk). I get charged, usually, a $1.00 - to $1.50 'extra'. When I ask, I get the "luggage" claim. When I point out it is neither "large" nor "handled" by the driver, they either tell me it is another charge (which is not stated) or claim it IS large. They usually argue their tip away. Only once have I had a cabbie agree to remove the 'extra' they (incorrectly) charged me.
NYC cabs, be it the "extras" for luggage or groups, have a much simpler, fairer system. DC cabs, though better now with meters+ (as opposed to the horrible zone system), still have a ways to go.
by Mase on Jul 14, 2010 4:12 pm • link • report
The zone system was cheaper for where I live now, but the meter is easier for anyone who visits DC and doesn't have a clue about zones...
DC cab fares are low compared to the region, and it's not necessarily a supply and demand issue since individual cabs don't set their market rates.
DC arguably has, on average, the smartest, most educated cabbies in the world... I think the Washingtonian had a story to that effect last Spring.
All that said, I generally ride my bike everywhere...
by S.A.M. on Jul 14, 2010 4:20 pm • link • report
Just as @Jamie brought up, cabbies don't really know their way around town outside of the major routes (even though many have GPS systems). The other night I had to provide specific directions on how to get from Arlington to the Capitol, and the cabbie still managed to swing near Union Station.
Would DC benefit from having a system similar to NYC? Private cab companies would license operational rights from a governmental body, but cabbies would not be government employees (potentially avoiding a boondoggle like the Metro). This might reduce resistance to fare and fee adjustments (like the meter crisis of the other year), and may even lead to stricter rules on the quality of vehicle used (there many, many cabs that are less than safe or fuel efficient roaming the streets). While it has made some mistakes over the years, NY's Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) has introduced a number of passenger-oriented requirements that make sense, and which might never have happened if there wasn't a strong authority in charge.
by Brent on Jul 14, 2010 4:27 pm • link • report
Doesn't matter. If there are too many cabs, then each cabbie will be carrying fewer passengers every day than they otherwise would.
I don't know what the optimal scenario is in terms of cab utilization, but clearly, there could be an imbalance. Too many cabs means it's very easy to get a cab, but cabs are not earning money a lot of the time. Too few means cabs are fully utilized and making bank, but passengers have a hard time getting one.
In theory market forces should dictate the number of cabs (not the price they charge). I don't know how it works in DC, but if cabs aren't earning enough, maybe we issue too many licenses.
by Jamie on Jul 14, 2010 4:27 pm • link • report
i've often thought of starting a 'Friendly Cab' company because even though i haven't had cab trouble in any other city -- ever -- i've had cabbies who were cranky or downright rude, and that, to me, is just not acceptable. taking a cab put riders in a very vulnerable situation as is -- while admitting that drivers are very vulnerable, too -- i just think that people should be treated with the utmost respect, especially when you literally control their destiny so directly.
ditto this 'drivers should be courteous and respectful and even friendly' for all public transit workers. some/most of the conductors on our commuter train out here in Cali (Caltrain) really do treat us like children and/or criminal when it's ticket-checking time.
but you'll be happy to know i have a simple solution -- just GPS the taxi ride data to a central data collection/fare calculation system -- simple. if a network link is lost, the data can be uploaded later upon reconnect and fares checked then. might take a tech company from The Valley to make it happen, but it could be done easy enough, I suspect. Trust but verify! :)
by Peter Smith on Jul 14, 2010 4:38 pm • link • report
That said, I agree with the points above:
-Extra Flag drop fees are ridiculous
-I have to direct the majority of cabs to major roads such as Columbia
It is too bad the Ted Loza scandal happened, otherwise we might have had some decent enforcement in place by now.
by DCres on Jul 14, 2010 4:46 pm • link • report
On the group ride issue, it gets even better when the cabbie has made you ride together, like they still can at Union Station. Try getting an explanation of the fare when that happens.
by HM on Jul 14, 2010 4:56 pm • link • report
by Lou on Jul 14, 2010 5:02 pm • link • report
I also take any "per passenger" fees out of the tip- This is another ridiculous rule that doesn't exist anywhere else. As a single person, I've had many cabs not stop for me because they want to get more people in the car. Also, it makes short trips with lots of people very expensive.
by A on Jul 14, 2010 5:15 pm • link • report
by rg on Jul 14, 2010 5:49 pm • link • report
by inlogan on Jul 14, 2010 6:00 pm • link • report
I don't have trouble getting a cab to go to my house when I hail one. But forget calling dispatch to get a cab to come to my house. A driver who finally picked me up once 50 minutes after I called for a cab told me they don't like picking up fares in my 'hood. Which is directly on the way from the cab depots to Union Station!
What really gets my goat is DC officials keep comparing our fares to Virginia and Maryland. No, dammit, we're a city. you should be comparing to NYC, not our suburbs. New York doesn't compare its rates to Westchester.
by lou on Jul 14, 2010 6:32 pm • link • report
by ah on Jul 14, 2010 8:55 pm • link • report
by ah on Jul 14, 2010 8:57 pm • link • report
by Turnip on Jul 14, 2010 9:27 pm • link • report
by Adam L on Jul 14, 2010 10:36 pm • link • report
by Ted on Jul 14, 2010 11:59 pm • link • report
The other trick I've seen cabbies try to pull is using Rate 3, the snow emergency rate which charges 25% more than Rate 2.
(Rather appropriate captcha for this post: "segments questioned".)
by Craig on Jul 15, 2010 12:43 am • link • report
Personally, I have zero respect for cab drivers. I think they're one of the top 3 worst things about living in D.C. They think they own the roads (which they clearly do not). They block bike lanes constantly (in addition to actual travel lanes [U Street, anyone?]), make illegal U-turns, double the speed limit on busy roads like Rhode Island and Massachusetts, rarely yield to pedestrians, and park illegally where ever they please - ALL without consequence.
Their erroneous fees and surcharges are absolutely ridiculous... I honestly don't see why anyone actually patronizes these drivers... Their money-grabbing schemes are so dishonest, it's mind boggling how they're able to get away with it.
I'd sooner walk, ride my bike, or (as a last resort) take Metro - rather than step foot inside another D.C. taxi.
by Josh C. on Jul 15, 2010 8:03 am • link • report
Now, that said, currently there are too many cabs in DC, and also there must be something hinky going on at the taxi commission, because many many of our cabbies do not have a clue how to get around the city. One is supposed to be able to get in a cab, give the destination and then sit back and relax until arrival. Instead, you have to pay close attention to the route taken, and sometimes you even have to direct the cabbie turn by turn, otherwise you will most likely be scammed if you are not paying attention. Ridiculous...
@ S.A.M.- I must be living in the DC of an alternate universe from you and the Washingtonian, if in your DC the cabbies are "...on average, the smartest, most educated cabbies in the world. Go figure...
by KevinM on Jul 15, 2010 8:24 am • link • report
by Mike on Jul 15, 2010 8:48 am • link • report
http://dctaxi.dc.gov/dctaxi/cwp/view,a,3,q,488015.asp
FYI: It's really easy, and some (including me) would say that this is not a good thing. In fact, if you look at this page you'll note that the taxicab examination was "suspended indefinitely." Not a lot of taxicab regulation in DC and very minimal start-up costs involved for independent operators.
That said, as a periodic taxi customer (who usually takes transit or walks), I've actually had good experiences with taxi service in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, etc. So, to offer a counter-point to this article and to some of the comments, I'd like to suggest that there are good, honest taxicab drivers and good taxicab service out there. But, there needs to be good regulation and a few good incentives in place, too, to support good taxi service.
by Penny Everline on Jul 15, 2010 8:56 am • link • report
Washington region cabbies are pretty bad. The easiest way to get better cabbies is to mandate significant knowledge of streets. In London, cabbies are required to pretty much memorize the entire map of Greater London. This requirements, which is beneficial to customers, also gets rid of all the stupid and lazy cab drivers. It takes 2-4 years to become a licensed taxi driver in London.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/businessandpartners/taxisandprivatehire/1412.aspx
Such a program will be impossible here though, due to the jurisdictional boundaries. The best sign of the insanity of the superfluous cab rules here is that many cabs have two tags, just to allow them to pick up fares in two jurisdictions. If we can't fix that, there is no way we can get decent cabbies.
by Jasper on Jul 15, 2010 9:33 am • link • report
What I don't understand is why DC's taxicab industry has such huge political leverage when it seems hardly any of those working in the industry actually live in DC.
The larger question: Why not just look at a functioning taxi cab system (e.g. , NYC), and implement it exactly the same way here? It seems like every urban municipality in the nation feels it has to reinvent the wheel. DC especially. Why not have some sort of "League of Cities" that share best practices and such?
by oboe on Jul 15, 2010 10:02 am • link • report
by ontarioroader on Jul 15, 2010 10:20 am • link • report
by aaa on Jul 15, 2010 10:33 am • link • report
Hear, hear. The taxi drivers basically operate a Mob operation that uses its power to impose ridiculousness like the double flag drop fee while "maintaining" a fleet that's falling apart and unsafe. While I'm sure there are plenty of individual drivers who are nice people, that's not really the point. The taxi driver cabal as an organization is a poster child for corruption and we need to move into the 21st century with a system that works.
by Erica on Jul 15, 2010 10:49 am • link • report
Of course, this opens the conversation re: getting DC cabs to take credit cards...
by jcm1 on Jul 15, 2010 10:50 am • link • report
1) Dig around and find the change in your cab where we all know it is hiding somewhere
2) Stop the meter wherever we are, drive to the nearest convenience store where you can get change and return me to my destination on your dime
3) Accept whatever amount of cash I have on me that comes closest to but not over the amount of the fare (which could be $0 if all I have is a $20)
Miraculously option #1 is almost always the end result. When they say they'll call the cops I dial 911, state that this is a non-emergency call and put it on speaker.
by tce2 on Jul 15, 2010 11:57 am • link • report
by Jasper on Jul 15, 2010 12:28 pm • link • report
What I don't understand is who is this "we" that thinks of taxis as an employment tool? And given that that vast, overwhelming majority of drivers and others in the taxi industry live in Maryland or Virginia, why do they have such leverage over DC politics?
by oboe on Jul 15, 2010 1:08 pm • link • report
But when I lived in Arlington, I would sometimes take a taxi from DC to Arlington late at night. The vast majority of times, I had to ask the driver if it was okay. Then we'd have to negotiate a flat fare, usually a few dollars more than what would be on a meter. It was illegal, yes, but I did it anyway, and sometimes (like on New Years Eve) I really had no choice. And of course, I always had to give directions.
I wonder if I could/should have reported those drivers to the taxi commission ... hmm.
by Tim on Jul 15, 2010 4:50 pm • link • report
by 169L on Jul 16, 2010 1:00 am • link • report
by Matthias on Jul 16, 2010 2:08 pm • link • report
If you really want to know who is at fault here you donÂ’t have to dig deep, it is mayor Fenty, the city council and the D.C. Taxicab commissioners who should be blamed not only for licensing so many unqualified drivers but also for writing such a ambiguous laws that even a congressman cannot interpret, and by giving the DC cab drivers the lowest rate and to top it all off by putting a $19 cap on the fares, and creating a hostile environment for all parties involved. The drivers are unhappy because they are working harder and longer and are unable to take enough money home and the passengers are getting in a lot cabs where the drivers are either tired, sleepy and grouchy or unprofessional, unqualified and donÂ’t know where they are going. Now tell me who we should blame?
You do not have most of these problems in other cities. If there wasn't a $19 cap on the meter you wouldnÂ’t have this situation where a congressman would have to carry the interpretation of D.C. Taxicab Regulations in his back packet. It is ironic that in 2009, Mr. Nadler had asked Mr. Swain the chairman of D.C. Taxicab Commission the same question that Mr. Habteab asked him in a public hearing on January 13, 2010, but they both got a totally different answer and both of them were carrying the answers they got from Mr. Swain. We owe all of this to our wonderful lawmakers in our great city of Washington D.C. These people should be role models to other lawmakers in the world about how to run a city.
The cab drivers have been asking the city to fix these problems for more than two years by going to the hearing after hearing, by protesting and striking but the city officials have ignored them time and time again. At the end of the day the buck should stop at mayor Fenty's door and he should be the one who should answer for his lack of leadership.
Thanks to the $19 cap on the fares originating and ending in D.C. that mayor Fenty has refused to lift even after the city council unanimously voted to lift, the cab drivers have to restart their meter for a round trip or trips that have stops that are not (EN ROUTE). The trip that the congressman took from the Union Station to Channel Inn (650 Water St. S.W. Washington D.C.) to drop his luggage off and then go to the Rayburn House Office building is not an en route trip.
Washington Union Station
Washington, DC
1. Head west on E St NE toward Columbus Cir NE/Columbus Monument Dr NW 75 ft
2. Turn left at Columbus Cir NE/Columbus Monument Dr NW
Continue to follow Columbus Cir NE 0.3 mi
3. Turn right at 2nd St NE 0.5 mi
4. Turn right at Independence Ave SE 1.0 mi
5. Turn left at 7th St SW 0.7 mi
6. Turn left at Water St SW
Destination will be on the right 276 ft
2.5 mi – about 7 mins
650 Water St SW Washington, DC 20024
7. Head northwest on Water St SW toward 7th St SW 230 ft
8. Take the 1st right onto 7th St SW 400 ft
9. Slight left toward 7th St SW 0.4 mi
10. Continue straight onto 7th St SW 0.2 mi
11. Turn right at Independence Ave SW
Destination will be on the right 0.6 mi
1.3 mi – about 3 mins
Rayburn House Office Bldg Washington, DC 20515
This clearly shows that Channel Inn is not en route to Rayburn House Office Building as congressman Nadler claims that it is, however Rayburn House Office Building would be en route to the Channel Inn. He has been misinformed by nobody other than Mr. Swain the chairman of D.C. Taxicab Commission who has played a big role in making these ambiguous rule and regulations that even he cannot understand. Way to go guys (city officils), just as the bike route that you spent so much of our tax dollars to create and then had to go back and spend more money to remove, you have done it with the taxicab drivers, after almost starving them out of business now you have to seek the congressional help to come in here and fix the mess you have created. Way to go.
by Zonk on Jul 17, 2010 5:38 am • link • report
by Driver Dignity on Jul 24, 2010 11:54 am • link • report
This whole confusion never would have happened if drivers had representation on the Commission that governs their own industry and livelihood.
by Justice DC Taxis on Jul 24, 2010 11:57 am • link • report
by KevinM on Jul 24, 2010 5:48 pm • link • report
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