DC Cab Rider

Apparently There's Another Strike Today

Someone at work said he thought the strike was today (I had thought it was Tuesday this week). It's quite confusing. So I checked WaPo online and got this:

A group of D.C. taxi drivers staged their second strike in as many weeks today, in a continuing effort to force Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) to reconsider his decision to switch from zones to meters in determining fares.

The strike, called by the Coalition of Cab Drivers, Companies and Associations of Washington, D.C., began at 6 a.m. today and is to end at 6 a.m. Friday, coalition chairman Nathan Price said. It was unclear how many drivers were participating in the work stoppage.

The coalition had launched what some said would be a series of weekly strikes on Feb. 4. Initially, some members of the coalition had called for another strike to be held this past Tuesday. But coalition leaders decided to postpone that action when they realized Tuesday was primary election day, saying they did not want D.C. residents to have a hard time getting to the polls.

The strike today was not publicized beforehand. Price said that "the media will not give us the proper coverage on the truth."

"This is not about jobs and money," he said. "It's all about the service, how it's going to be impacted when we go to meters. Nobody's listening to this story."

Price said that in other large U.S. cities, where there are far fewer taxis working for a few large companies, taxi service does not extend to neighborhoods, as it does in the District. He and other coalition leaders say that moving to meters will eliminate the independent-business aspect of D.C.'s cab service and will run many current drivers out of business.

"In other cities, taxis serve only train stations, downtown and the airport," he said. "We're trying to maintain a level of service in the neighborhoods of the District of Columbia."

At mid-morning, some cabs were picking up and depositing passengers in the downtown area, but the usual cab lines at big hotels were diminished or missing. Still, hotel managers said they were coping.

Ammar Samad, director of guest services at the Westin Grand Hotel at 24th and M streetsNW, said limousines and other hired cars were serving the hotel guests--the usual alternative when cabbies strike.

"It's not something that we haven't been through before," Samad said this morning, acknowledging that it is "an inconvenience." "Our guests are wondering why there are no taxis around, but we explain, 'We'll still take care of you.' "

posted by DC Cab Rider @ 2:45 PM