February 14, 2008
Taxicab Strike Actions Reported Throughout Downtown
We've had enough reports from eagle-eyed readers now to say that an unannounced taxicab strike is underway today. Rolling taxi strikes originally began last week on Monday, and were supposed to continue on Tuesday of this week, then Wednesday of next week, and so on. No strike actually occurred, however, on Tuesday. This 2nd-week Thursday action was not made known to the public beforehand.
Here's what we're hearing:
From reader Chris, 10:47 a.m.: "I'm downtown on F St. near the White House and numerous times large groups of taxis have stopped at lights and begun blowing their horns constantly."
From commenter SF2DC, 10:43 a.m. "Buncha taxis just honked up a storm driving by my office building on 14th and F en masse..."
From reader Martin, 10:41 a.m.: "A huge line of taxis is driving very slowing around Freedom Plaza, in front of the Wilson Building, all honking their horns."
From reader Bryan, 9:39 a.m.: "Looks like DC taxicabs actually organized their strike / service disruption today. 16th street southbound is a parking lot."
From commenter whitehatgirl, 9:30 a.m.: "I think the taxi strike is on today. I felt terrible for the German tourist laden with a huge rolling bag, suit bag, and duffel bag looking for a cab. I told him he probably wouldn't get a cab. I hope he makes it back to Germany. I also think the cabs, while on strike, are intentionally clogging up the streets. I saw a line of them on 16th street as far as the eye could see around 8:45 a.m. Traffic was going nowhere."
Let us know what you see and hear regarding this taxicab action in comments while we try to dig up some more information.
Photo by MatthewBradley
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Bring in the Maryland and Virginia cab companies. Do it now.
Well I guess they figured out that simply staying off the roads was actually a good thing. Now they've learned how to annoy us.
11:08 AM Taxis are sounding their horns in the vicinity of 12th and F Streets NW. Lots and lots of honking.
@Hillman:
One of my coworkers claims he heard that today's strike/demonstration is actually a response to Mayor Fenty deciding to let MD/VA cabs pick up fares in DC on days when the DC cabs are on strike.
I don't actually care one way or the other, I'm just already sick of hearing these jackasses honking up and down F St.
Work in the R. Building and just had a Judge discontinue a teleconference with me because of honking outside. The first 30 minutes were fine, but this is a bit much. If I didn't agree with them before, I certainly do not now. Oh, and yeah . . . I'm a labor and employment law atty -- pro-labor and pro-employee.
The explains why there were about no cabs at the taxi stand Union Station at 8:15 this morning.
18th and Columbia was like a ghost town at about 8:40 this morning, car wise. There were lots of people looking (in vain) for taxis.
Fight annoyance with intimidation, anyone?
Can't they be sited for public disorder, nuisance or some such. Nothing like having a cop pull over a taxi (with cause) and then running their registration, safety check, etc.
I would love nothing more than for
(1) the police enforcing traffic rules on these clowns, including misuse of horns, and
(2) Fenty allowing MD and VA cabs into DC as an "emergency" measure until the strike ends.
I'm all for everyone making a living wage, including the cabbies here. But the residents of DC are overwhelmingly in favor of meters (which also happen to work reasonably well in almost every other major city). So if their beef is that they just don't want meters...well, screw 'em. We want them. Get used to it.
But if their complaint is that they won't make enough money with the fare rates that have been announced, I'm not sure how to address that. How do the announced fares compare to other cities (when cost of living is factored in)?
Thankfully we have Metro! If someone is in a real pinch they can metro over to Rosslyn and get a cab there.
I don't know if the cab drivers realize that most of the city is not on their side. Even those people that are on the cab drivers' side of the argument are not actually arguing for the cab drivers; those people just want to save money on very specific cab rides that will cost more under the new system.
So the strikes and the honking and the blocking of traffic, it will all do absolutely nothing to help them sway the public. In fact, it might turn more people against them.
And I highly doubt, after we've gone this far, that it has any chance whatsoever of changing Mayor Fenty's mind.
8:40 this morning - About 100 taxis made their way SLOWLY down 16th past U street. They were even getting out of their cars to talk to one another. Had to wait for about 20 mins for the cabs to finally pass before any buses came by.
8:40 this morning - About 100 taxis made their way SLOWLY down 16th past U street. They were even getting out of their cars to talk to one another. Had to wait for about 20 mins for the cabs to finally pass before any buses came by.
thanks to the cabs that just stopped in the right lane of 16th street, i had the pleasure of walking 1.5 miles in the wind because no buses could get through.
can i sue them if my face falls off?
ps. this was especially annoying since i don't even take cabs and have no opinion on meters vs zones!
Rode my bike into work down 16th St. this morning, and the only time I've seen it run that slow is when there was an accident that closed down the whole street. Cabbies were taking their sweet time (of course I didn't really mind).
Can't we just agree to boycott the taxis? Drivers do not get to dictate city-wide policy - in fact I believe the tax payers are the ones who should have the final say. And the tax payers have been pretty clear about their preferences.
This city has excellent public transit. Use it!
The cabs are creating public nuisances (the honking) and impeding traffic (the stopping and going super slow in lanes). If I were Fenty, I'd be on the phone with Chief Lanier to make sure MPD were properly ticketing the violating cabs and then running inspection checks as well.
The cabbies really seem to have no clue that the public does not support them on the meters issue. All they are doing is continuing to piss off the public and killing any sympathy they would get from undecideds.
I love their logic. "We don't want to switch to meters because we then become accountable for the amount of revenue we fraudulantly take for the citizens of the city, so let's piss them off by disrupting the ability to get around."
Do they think they're winning anyone over? They're ripping us all off, and then have the nerve to get angry when the city does the responsible thing and switch to meters?
They must be violating some traffic law (especially if krislawt's report is true). I say ticket and tow 'em.
Yeh buddy, I'm sure you're "pro labor". This is their job, they have the right to make decisions about it. Stop with the boss think.
10 a.m. No cabs at 18th and Columbia and those there were there either had off-duty signs in their windows and the few with passengers refused to do the usual pick up of a second passenger. Virgina cab went by but he wouldn't pick anyone up either. Approached a cabbie who was dropping off a friend and asked if he would take me and of course he said no.
They do realize that this just makes people angry at them right? I'm not going to pick up the phone and complain to the Mayor but I am going to be pissed at the cabbies.
Who wants meters?!
-I do!
When do you want them??
-Now!
Who wants meters?!
-I do!
When do you want them??
-Now!
I agree with several others. I hope these cabbies are getting ticketing. I also saw a bunch parked in zoned RPP spaces, I sure as heck hope DPW is out ticketing them as much they ticket everyone else.
I think the police should put spikes on the road so the cabbies will all get flats. Yeah it'll clog up the roads something fierce, but the cabbies will all have to get new tires.
Oh who am I kidding, they'll just put some gum in the holes, inflate and keep driving.
It's like they took a seminar in good PR, and did the opposite.
I did see one taxi being towed away. I also saw a lot of police around, but it was tough to tell what they were doing. They might have been clearing the way for a motorcade, but they might have been trying to deal with the cabs.
Those cabbies are going to be so sorry they've pissed off the German tourists. They're not all smiles and sunshine, you know.
haven't heard anything by my office @ 17th and M yet . . . are the cabbies sticking to certain areas only? so glad i don't rely on them.
learn to use the buses, people. maybe if the energy that goes towards griping about the taxis was directed towards the bus issues, we could get some positive changes made.
Saw cops this morning pull over a cab who was driving really slow, and then stopping, at various points up and down 18th Street to block traffic. They gave the cabbie a ticket.
We have too many taxicabs in this city as it is. Trying to park at U and 9th Streets NW last night, at least every other valid space within a two block radius was taken by a parked, and therefore useless, cab.
Well, I am a casually dressed African American male. DC cabs are frequently on strike where I am concerned.
By making it difficult for buses to get around, they're going to far. MPD should ticket the bastards like crazy (impeding the public way and obstructing traffic are probably both traffic and criminal offenses), and Fenty should drop the base fare for meters $1 every time they pull a stunt like this. The deal they got--$3 plus the Taxicab Commission's "emergency" $1 gas surcharge, which extends past the meter deadline--was already much higher than even Manhattan's fares.
The cab drivers are on the wrong side of public sentiment on this one, and with nonsense like this, they are just isolating themselves even more.
You can't take buses or Metro all the time. Well, I suppose you can if you like walking down deserted streets at 3am, but some of us acknowledge that we live in a city and take reasonable precautions to avoid being assaulted.
In addition to the mayor and MPD doing their part, here's a definite way for the consumer to retaliate...no tips until the strike is over.
"Those cabbies are going to be so sorry they've pissed off the German tourists. They're not all smiles and sunshine, you know."
Oooh, the Germans are mad at me. I'm so scared! Oooh, the Germans! Uh oh, the Germans are going to get me!
@monkeyrotica: but they come from the land of chocolate!
Beer, goat boy. They come from the land of beer. And well-engineered fine automobiles.
I've seen way more VA and MD cabs on the streets, as well as several cabbies simply ignoring fares even when their cars are empty.
Sure it's easy to fall back on the "use the bus people" but that's also not exactly practical all the time either. The bus doesn't always go where you're going, or doesn't always get you there in a timely fashion. Don't get me wrong. I love me some bus and ride it often, but this morning I was late and am sick and standing out in the cold waiting for the unreliable 42 was not my first option, although that's what I ended up doing...
"This is their job, they have the right to make decisions about it."
Sure--they can decide to quit if they don't want to work within the regulations our elected officials set forth.
Spare me the pro-labor BS. DC cabbies are a racket not a union. They refuse rides based on race and geography, consistently overcharge, and drive dangerously in poorly maintained and unclean vehicles.
Hey, don't knock the 42! I love love love that bus line (although don't tell the 42, but I've been cheating on it with the S buses in the mornings because, let's face it, they're faster).
i think it's funny folks feel that all the cabbie honking is any different from most other days. come on now. dc cabbies honk at anything and everything whether "on strike" or not
DC Cabbies don't want meters because they won't be able to shelter cash from the IRS anymore. Period. Pro-labor doesn't mean pro-tax cheat.
Most owner-drivers don't live in DC anyway but their rattle-trap hacks won't pass taxi inspection in the states where they live.
Honking in hospital or school zones? Blocking intersections? Fill up the impound lots with the cabs of the guilty. There won't political blowback -- those guys can't vote here anyway.
Here's another reason why I am in favor of meters: I went from Union Station to National on Tuesday at 3:30. I was charged $17. The cabbie charged me an extra $2 for my small carry-on suitcase (which I put into and took out of the trunk myself) and an extra $1 for rush hour, even though it was not yet 4 pm when we arrived at National.
When I asked him to recalculate the fee, he said it was correct, even though it was based on him saying so.
Bring on the meters!
I agree with the don't tip policy until they end the strike. sure we have great public transportation, but sometimes you're in a rush.
How fucking annoying. Next time a DC cabbie rips me off by randomly inventing the fare, I'm going to sit on his hood and make honking noises with my mouth.
let's all hail cabs after work today and then not get in them.
Make sure to tip drivers who don't support the strike. Why penalize them for their idiot colleagues.
Any driver who supported this strike will not be receiving any extra money from me.
You can't take buses or Metro all the time. Well, I suppose you can if you like walking down deserted streets at 3am, but some of us acknowledge that we live in a city and take reasonable precautions to avoid being assaulted.
Yes, I agree; but the major inconvenience of the strike (and the bitching of the masses) seems to be during the day... when there are two very viable alternatives available (three if you like walking down populated streets at 3pm).
Just because one makes copies for Senator Phil Anderer doesn't mean they're so important that they have to take a cab to happy hour. They can take the dirty bus with the rest of us mooks.
let's all hail cabs after work today and then not get in them.
Or better yet, get in it, tell the cabbie you're going to Brentwood or some other "undesirable" location to which he'll refuse to take you, and then proceed to pee your pants (and the seat) as he tells you to get out.
Happy Valentine's Day, hackface!
I see a lot of stereotypical comments here. It looks like there is an organized movment mostly from people who live around the North West section of the city and virginia residents to hijack the fair system of zone system in DC. Most residents of DC specially those who live in NE, SE and upper NW prefer the zone system albiet with a GPS system which clearly shows the fair. If the issue was about cabbies cheating fairs, then the good mayor was offered a GPS system which calculates the exact price a customer is supposed to pay with a reciept but alas the mayor is after monopolizing the business and the cabbies are suspicious of his motives and rightly so. Let DC residents decide which system they prefer. A bunch of "concerened citizens" can not impose thier will on DC residents. If the resindents prefer a meter, then let it be fair considering the cost of living in the city which offcourse affects the livelyhood of most cabbies who relay on thier income to feed thier family.
i guess this is the response the cabbies expect:
gosh, i guess we were totally wrong for supporting the new meter system. i had no idea how unjust that plan was, until now! i'm so glad the cabbies brought this injustice to our attention by honking up a storm, blocking traffic and stranding travelers today. this new system is truly unfair and totally unreasonable. fenty's meter plan must be stopped now!! come on, guys. support the cabbies!!
uh, yeah, keep dreaming a-holes!!!!
Bensol, the fare system is FANTASTIC if you're going from one end of Zone 1 to the other, but I fail to see how it's more beneficial to residents of NE, SE, or Upper NW than it is to the residents of . . . what would you call it, near NW? The issues are the same no matter where you live: a $7.50 base charge for short trips (once the ever-present gas surcharge is counted), having to pay $9.80 just because you crossed some arbitrary line on a map, not being able to share a cab home with a friend who lives a block away w/o being charged for two fares, and the inevitable arguments with cabbies who try to overcharge you.
Basically, the zone system sucks no matter where you live.
Bensol:
I live in NE. And I hate the zone system. I know a lot of other people in NE. To a person they hate the zone system.
So, this may be a dumb question, but every time this issue comes up people post about getting ripped off going to National. I was under the impression that if you left DC there was no set fare anymore because you left the zone map. I would also think that if you left DC in a cab with a meter there would be no set fare because you left the jurisdiction, in which case you are just as likely to get ripped off going to National in a cab with a meter as one without a meter. I could be wrong about this, I really have no idea, anyone know?
Let's revisit this in a year and look at cabbies' reported incomes under the zone system versus their reported incomes under the meter system. I guarantee it will be higher under the meter system.
Let's revisit this in a year and look at cabbies' reported incomes under the zone system versus their reported incomes under the meter system. I guarantee it will be higher under the meter system.
DCHater:
That's the funnest part. Even if their real income is lower (which it probably won't be), their stated income will have to be higher because they can no longer cheat DC out of income taxes.
Quote:
"DCHater:
That's the funnest part. Even if their real income is lower (which it probably won't be), their stated income will have to be higher because they can no longer cheat DC out of income taxes."
Which is amazing. How can they complain when officially they make more money now!? haha
All of this stupid horn-blowing nonsense is going to totally ruin this season's Taxicab Confessions: Washington D.C.
bensol: Trouble is, most cabbies operating in DC don't actually live in DC. I've lived here a couple of years now, take cabs semi-frequently, and often make conversation with the cabbies. A few weeks ago was the first time I've spoken with one who lives in DC. Not living in the suburbs myself I can't speak to whether the benefit of cheaper rent in MD or VA is outweighed by their having to commute into the city for work, but it seems like you're barking up the wrong tree with your cost of living argument.
I hate hate HATE the bus. Not because it's "dirty" or anything of the sort, but because it's completely unreliable if it's not rush hour. I've waited so many times for buses that end up coming 20 minutes late. And don't even get me started on the drivers. They're more dangerous than the cabbies.
16th and Irving: They then have to report more money to the IRS, state tax agency on a quarterly basis. They thus have more taxable income. Because they don't have their federal and state taxes taken out like those who get a paycheck, they are always in a position to pay. Because they'll have to report more income, they'll have to pay more taxes. That's probably one of the real underlying issues here.
Amen on the no tip for cabbies who support the strike.
Now I'm no economist, but if meters mean less revenue for cabbies, then meters mean cheaper cab rides for us, and cheaper prices mean more people will take cabs. Do they not see that this is good for them? Well, except in the sense that they lose their sinecure because they'll have to actually take more fares.
Also, zones meant cabbies would take the quickest route so they could get more fares per hour. Meters will mean drivers can screw over inattentive fares by taking the long way. Why do the cabbies not see this as an opportunity for them? The one cabbie I have stiffed so far would have made much more $$ on me with a meter. It was midnight on a weekend from thomas circle to adams morgan, fer chrissakes, and he took U st (16th is faster).
"Which is amazing. How can they complain when officially they make more money now!? haha"
If you weren't previously paying taxes on a large percentage of your income, you will end up making less money -- maybe a lot less.
Did this strike have anything to do with 395 being backed on the north bound lanes? Were the cabs blocking 14th street?
amen, guest121! On Tuesday a bus driver almost didn't stop for me because I wasn't standing near the posted sign. I was standing near the bus shelter. She had fun pointing out to me that the SHELTER was not the STOP. She covered her name and badge when I went to look at them, and had fun telling me not to "worry about it" when I outright asked. Then at a stop she ran out to gossip with the driver in front of her.
At least she didn't kill anyone. While I was on the bus, anyway.
bensol: I see your point, but this wasn't done by a "group of concerned citizens" but democratically by the DC Council. The switch to meters is part of the DC Official Code. The law required the Mayor to either opt in or opt out by October 16, 2007, and he opted in because it makes the most sense. Why should I pay $9.80 to go from 16th & U to Adams Morgan?
The zone system benefits you. The meter system benefits me. I hate to say it, but the areas where the meter system benefits is more densely populated that where the zone system benefits.
Sorry, I realize they will end up with less money, since they will actually be taxed. But I was simply laughing because their reported income will be higher now. Hence, for some, they will report a higher income after the switch to the meters. Harder to complain if you are reporting a higher income to the IRS.
techne - i had a bus driver literally pull over, get out and talk to another bus driver for 7 minutes (i timed it) on my commute home just a few months ago.
I'd still rather take the bus because it's cheap!
and suances - that's the point. They werent reporting the income. So either they admit they didnt report income or accept the fact they make more money now.
See, the bus drivers are generally rude and dangerous. Just like the cabbies...and we've come full circle.
If I only had a helicopter.
mofozzie: As to your first question, my understanding is that the cabbies have a chart which shows what the fare should be based on approximately how many miles it is to the destination. It's a low-tech way of mirroring how metered cabs calculate the fare, and, while not perfect, would obviously work better if more cabbies followed it rather than making up the fare as they see fit. I don't understand your second question at all -- why would a cabbie go off-meter just because they're leaving the District? It's not like they're entering some Bermuda-Triangle-type area where their meters suddenly don't work anymore.
And now that you think about it, what about the % that cabbie has to give to the cab company? With the meter, they have to report more income which means the more they have to give to their bosses.
i was wondering what that honking was for... Now, if only I knew why some man barks down H street in his car every day at 4:30 p.m.
i was wondering what that honking was for... Now, if only I knew why some man barks down H street in his car every day at 4:30 p.m.
"Now I'm no economist, but if meters mean less revenue for cabbies, then meters mean cheaper cab rides for us, and cheaper prices mean more people will take cabs."
Two assumptions being made here. First, a cabbie can only take so many fares in a day. If they're already saturated, then more people taking cabs doesn't help them. Also, you assume there is a sufficient group of people who are not currently using cabs due to price. I'm sure there are many who fit into this group, but it's not guaranteed that this group would be large enough to make up the difference in revenue. Also, in general, the prices aren't really that much cheaper, from what I remember when the Post released their calculator.
I got in a cab at 19th and M NW last night around 10:15 and at the next light another cab driver handed a flyer to my driver and said "Tomorrow, brother." But my driver already knew about it...
mellbell: I wasn't saying the meter wouldn't work, I was just wondering if it would be legally mandated still. I guess, not being a frequent taker of cabs, especially not between DC, MD, and VA, if the rules apply based on which state/federal district you start in. Do the rules extend beyond that jurisdictions borders?
For example, you say the cabbies now have a chart that says how much they are supposed to charge based on mileage, but that is a legally mandated fare structure? Or just a suggestion? If it is mandated, why isn't it posted in the cab too?
I guess my question is, if I get in a cab in DC and go to National in VA, is their any rules governing my cross jurisdiction trip, or do I just negotiate with the cabbie?
I don't know of a single driver who would consider themselves "saturated" by riders. I live in central DC, and have never--not one single time--had to wait more than 2-3 minutes to hail an empty cab.
Trust me, "too many cab riders" is not a problem for these guys.
Politburo: The point about the projected fares under the meter system being about the same only draws attention to how much of a red herring the much bandied-about "dramatic loss of revenues" argument is. It's like when a kid is bawling hysterically, blubbering and carrying on like their world is coming to an end, and you're finally able to coax out of them what the matter is, and it's "I dropped my cookie." The only difference is, here "I dropped my cookie" is "I have to report all my income now."
mofozzie: I was being sarcastic, but obviously not doing a good job of it. But beyond those charts (which, again, some use and some don't -- draw your own conclusions as to whether it's anything more than a suggestion) I don't know much about how interjurisdictional fares work. Hopefully the change to meters will bring about some transparency as to that.
mellbell: I agree. I was speaking in the context of accepting the cabbies assertion as fact.
"I live in central DC, and have never--not one single time--had to wait more than 2-3 minutes to hail an empty cab."
I'm not saying that cabbies are saturated, but the plural of anecdote is not data.
My cab fare to DCA is ALWAYS either 16 or 17 dollars from anywhere in downtown/central DC. So either those charts are for huge geographic areas, or they're making up numbers that are close to, but not quite 20, hoping I'll just give them the twenty and walk away. Which I do, of course...
@Cranky
I went from Union Station to National on Tuesday at 3:30. I was charged $17.
That actually seems like the correct fare to me. I've been living on the Hill near Union Station for over ten years and I've always paid somewhere between $15-20 for a ride to National. That's been consistent regardless of whether I called for a cab, hailed one on the street, or had the whole family with me.
It should be $14 or so from Dupont Circle to DCA and $17 from DCA to Dupont Circle - not including if there is an "emergency gas surcharge". (which btw is ridiculous because they pocket the extra money and get a tax write-off for it as a business/work related expense.)
No matter what, stories concerning any controversy surrounding taxi service ALWAYS guarantee a massive post count.
People here are passionate about three things:
1. Transit
2. Gentrification
3. Safeway
and soccer, apparently.