That $19 Maximum Rate - Take Two
Lots of good comments on this topic, interesting to read.As someone noted in the other comments, the rate is an inside DC maximum rate, so does not apply for trips from inside DC to Maryland or Virginia. DC is about 68 square miles in total area.
The $19 maximum rate is the law, making the driver's claim of restarting the meter, or other drivers' stories of dumping people out at $19 quite illegal. As for the $19 max rate = socialism, I'd probably have little more sympathy for that if I'd been hearing that for the top zone rate in the pre-meter years too :).
posted by DC Cab Rider @ 8:13 PM
14 Comments:
Also, keep in mind that the nineteen dollar maximum is a BASE RATE ONLY. The law does mandate the addition of certain surcharges such as gasolene, additional passengers, radio calls, baggage and such. Thus, if one person hails a cab to go from point A to point B, ONLY, the maximum fare will be TWENTY dollars, not nineteen, because the driver adds a one dollar gasolene surcharge to the fare.
Also, keep in mind that Dear Revered Leader Kim il-Fenty's nineteen dollar maximum is a PER TRIP only. Multiple stop trips may be more and round trips WILL be more. Keep in mind that the law does view a round trip as TWO SEPARATE TRIPS, thus there is a nineteen dollar base rate maximum for the first leg AND a nineteen dollar base rate maximum for the flip-flop, for a total of a thirty-eight dollar base rate. You will, of course get a one dollar gasolene surcharge added to each leg, as each leg is considered a separate trip, and the gasolene surcharge is a PER TRIP surcharge.
The multiple stop trip COULD be two separate trips. If DCCR hails a cab on Columbia Road and announces to the driver that she will end up on Pennsylvania Ave @ Eighth St., S.E, but first wants to go to Georgetown, have the driver wait, then go to Howard University Hospital, have the driver wait, then proceed to Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E., that is THREE separate trips. The driver will start the meter on Columbia Road. When he arrives in Georgetown, trip one is concluded. He will turn off the meter, start it again and wait for DCCR. The meter will calculate the waiting time. DCCR returns and the driver proceeds to Howard University Hospital. At Howard, the meter comes off, is restarted, driver waits, DCCR returns, and driver proceeds to Pennsylvania Avenue. When he arrives, he adds the three together; hopefully he has saved the receipts that the meter prints. There is a one dollar gasolene surcharge that the driver applies THREE times.
The yardstick to apply is 'Does the intermediate stop require the driver to deviate more than FIVE blocks from the MOST DIRECT route to the final destination?'. If the answer is 'yes', then it is TWO separate trips. If it is 'no', then it is ONE TRIP ONLY.
In contrast, DCCR hails a cab at Dupont Circle and announces Union Station as her destination (as straight shot down Massachusetts Avenue). She tells the driver to stop at the Henle Park Hotel en route (926 Massachusetts, N.W.). That is ONE trip, only. The driver will start the meter, leave it running while he waits for DCCR at the Henle Park. DCCR returns, driver proceeds to the Station and collects what is on the meter.
And Cab Rider Lady, your attempted argument at my calling Kim il-Fenty the Dear Revered Leader of the Demokratik People's Republik of New Kolumbia and First Secretary and Kommissar of the People's Progressive Authoritarian Demokratik Party hold little water. I will post a more substantial counterargument to it later, as I must now get into the shower and retrieve the GF from work. Still, start with considering this: under the zones, for every horrid Sibley to Hadley job, I got just as many Connecticut and Columbias to DuPont Circle. Under the meter, if they go from Connecticut and Columbia to DuPont on a meter, they pay little because they go nowhere. They pay for the use of the vehicle and the driver's time. If they go from Walter Reed to the Blue Plains Sewage Treatment Plant, they DO NOT pay the fair rate for the trip or the driver's time; they get a discount. There is no possible quick trip for much money to counterbalance a long trip for little money such as Walter Reed to Blue Plains. The driver can only get screwed, he can not get a plum trip. A system where you can only get what every one else gets or get screwed is certainly, at least, a cynic's definition of a socialist system.
As I stated in TAKE ONE, if I must accept this foul meter and all of its drawbacks, at least let me receive all of the advantages that it does offer, as few as they are.
Anyhow, more on this later, I must get into the shower and retrieve the GF from work
lol - dear champion of whatever system that isn't socialism, I'm just not feeling the pain. I've only had one trip so far that was less expensive under meter than it was under the zone.
Indeed the rates for the Zone were capped too. But when they had the zone system they devised it in such a way that the short distance rides subsidized the long distance travelers. Was that fair? I don't think so. But at least the Cabbie got his hard works worth. But when Mr. Fenty removed the old system he was trying to have it both ways, he kept the cap on the long distance while keeping the short rides very low. I think that smells like Socialism to me, I have lived under a Socialist system long enough to tell when I see one and I've seen enough Socialist leaders to know them too. And Fenty and Obama look like mighty good Socialists to me. Did you know that D.C. has the cheapest rate for Cabbies in all the neighborhood counties? If you want to check the price differences between Zone and Meter go to the following link to see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/interactives/taxifares/
Moi
"But when Mr. Fenty removed the old system he was trying to have it both ways, he kept the cap on the long distance while keeping the short rides very low. I think that smells like Socialism to me, I have lived under a Socialist system long enough to tell when I see one and I've seen enough Socialist leaders to know them too."
Well said Moi!
That IS socialism DCCR! Can you tell us your definition of socialism? Was the Bolshevik Revolution a socialist movement? According to you it may not be!
I just always find the free tossing of the isms to be ... interesting. Is medicare socialism? Social Security? Is the Patriot Act fascism? Thing is, they're all part of and result of democratic elections now, aren't they?
Very poor analogy DCCR, and you still didn't answer my question! But that's okay I will let you slide this time!
As an intelectual "SI" chic, I know you are smarter than that.
It's not an analogy at all Mad, it's an observation. (as I annoy you by making a 2nd observation).
The quickest & easiest thing folks can do to attack something they don't like is by tossing an "ism" at it. I've seen Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security all labeled as "socialist" in various writings. Goodness knows I'm not the only one I know who has used the term "fascist" to describe the Patriot Act. My point being that it's cute here and there but when it gets driven into the ground, it's just silly.
You may be paying more, Cab Rider Lady, but the majority of my customers are paying less.
Now I see what Ol' Wilfrid Desan meant by 'angular vision' and 'angular truth'.
I do not expect the public to feel my pain. It has been my experience that the public has never understood our problems, and it is unrealistic to expect it to. Every once in a while, they understand a little bit here and there, such as gasolene surcharges. Everyone knows that gasolene is expensive. Even then, though, they do not understand the whole picture. Now that regular has fallen from four dollars and change to three and seventy-five the gallon, more than a few think that the Commission should remove the surcharge. They do forget that the Commission began to consider the surcharge when gasolene started to approach three dollars the gallon and imposed it at about three and twenty-five.
Often I get fares where four friends share, going to different areas (normally at busy times when taxis are scarce), or maybe something has been forgotten and a return journey is requested.... these fares can run into the high 30's and yet never leave the Dublin metropolitan district, what happens in DC in instances like this?
Ps, is there really a need for the word verification gizmo?, it's frustrating when you have to try 3 times to make a comment
You know Dc Cab rider, the way I see it, it is Socialism when a Cab driver is asked to give service for free because it is cheaper for the masses just as it is when a Communist leader orders a farmer to sell his product below market value because it serves the masses. And I pretty much think fair tax sure smells like Socialism to me, where were the masses when the poor rich man was working his ass off to get where he got to. I think fair tax is going to be the roaring lion that is going to swallow small buisness again in the name of fairness.
Moi
Sorry Roy, but yes, the word verification thing is necessary. Without it I get lots of crappy spam stuff and I hated cleaning it up. Apologizes for making it frustrating for you. Hope you keep posting anyhow.
i agree with DCCR (and mad cabbie, i read your blog too). i haven't experienced a significant drop in fares since the meters (if at all).
and in addition, what is it with no cab-sharing except for trips originating at Union Station? I shared a cab from the greyhound station with two other people, all going to columbia heights. we all had to pay the full fare, meaning the cabbie made well over $30 dollars for a $9 direct fare. why should we as riders not be compensated somewhat for the inconvenience of riding with others? i could have gotten home faster by myself (of course, i realize the savings in gas/pollution/carbon dioxide, which is why i would still share a cab). but this certainly isn't the way it works in other cities. although it was the way it worked under the zones.
even with the switch to meters, the cab system and cabbies in dc make me happy to ride my bike most places.
Does anyone else have bad experience with Yellow Cab drivers? I've encountered them numerous times - as a passenger and as driver. Their attitude is just the worst and rudest ever. We suggested a route and the cab driver went on a rampage to scold at our suggestion. Another time, a Yellow Cab driver was dangerously cutting in front of my car. It is ridiculous.
Odd, I have had great experience with yellow cab drivers. Guess it just shows you never know ;).
Post a Comment
<< Home