The people behind DC Residents for Reasonable Taxi Fares, the web site that's been calling for Mayor Fenty to make some significant revisions to his taxi meter proposals, have sent out a last-minute push for residents to send like-minded input to the District. The deadline for public comment set by the D.C. Taxicab Commission on the proposed move from zones to time and distance meters, which Mayor Fenty has said would include a $4.50$4.00 flag drop, are due Monday, Jan. 7.

If you agree with DC Residents for Reasonable Taxi Fares that the proposed flag drop is too high and the surcharges for additional passengers and rush hour are excessive, you're being asked to complete this form letter and send it along before Monday. The full letter, which can be rewritten within the form provided, is reposted below the jump. You can also sign the site's petition here.

Have you made your thoughts about the Mayor's taxi meter proposal known yet? You can also email the Taxi Commission directly at dctc(at)dc.gov, or the Mayor's office by filling out their standard online form.

As a patron of the DC taxi system, I strongly applaud the Mayor's decision to install time and distance meters. The time and distance meters, if implemented correctly, can ensure that residents and cab drivers get what they pay for. The use of time and distance meters also mean I don't automatically have to pay nearly $9 if I travel across an arbitrary zone line.

While I am in favor of time and distance meters, I am strongly opposed to the high proposed base fare of $4.00 and the extensive menu of surcharges. This ill-advised fare structure will ensure that DC residents and the tourists who pump money into our economy will continue to pay higher taxi fares than anywhere else in the country--higher than New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. Even cabs across the river in Arlington will continue to cost significantly less than DC cabs. I thought the implementation of time and distance meters would mean we would have rates that are similar to every other city in the country. Unfortunately, the absurdly high base fare and lengthy menu of surcharges mean that DC cab riders will continue to get ripped off. DC Taxis will continue to be unaffordable for the people who depend on them.

I urge you to implement a time and distance taxi fare structure that is fair and reasonable for cab riders and drivers by:

(1) Implementing a base fare of $2.50 for the first 1/6 of a mile- Washington, DC should have a base fare in line with other major cities like New York ($2.50) and other local cities like Arlington ($2.75). There is no justification for having a higher fare, especially considering the extremely low cost for DC cab drivers to enter and operate in the industry.

(2) Eliminating the rush hour surcharge - Riders are already paying $0.25 a minute for slow traffic on top of the regular distance charge and base fare.

(3) Eliminating the additional passenger surcharge - No additional resources are used when 3 or 4 individuals share a cab as opposed to 1 or 2 people.

(4) Allowing multiple drop-offs for 2 or more passengers who enter the cab at the same origination without resetting the meter- Don't create a disincentive for multiple customers with the same origination but different destinations to ride-share, adding to the City’s substantial traffic congestion.

Please do not fall into the false promises of a "zone meter" This only institutionalizes a bad and illogical system of imaginary lines and outrageous fares for short distances. Instead, please be an advocate for a fair and reasonable time and distance meter taxi system that all DC residents can afford.