Written by DCist Tom Lee, on the road in the wilds of western North Carolina.

It seems like there’s been a lot of taxi-related news this week. Today the trend continues: the Post is reporting on the latest footnote to D.C.’s byzantine taxi system. It seems that Yellow Cab is testing out meters in its fleet — but not the time & distance-based kind enjoyed by other cities. Instead, the new devices stick with the zone system, but use GPS to ensure it’s properly applied.

As Yellow Cab general manager Roy Spooner says:

“If you listen, people aren’t really saying they want meters… they want fair and consistent prices.”

Color us spectacularly unconvinced. Try listening even more carefully, Mr. Spooner: we want time and distance-based meters.

Don’t get us wrong — GPS enforcement of the zone system would certainly be an improvement over the status quo. And we know that the zone system has some fans. But for many more it’s simply confusing and irritating — and, for those of us who don’t use cabs at rush hour, almost entirely without benefit. Mostly, we just can’t shake the sense that D.C. cabs are less fairly-priced than those in other cities. The zone system is at least partly to blame for that. GPS zone enforcement may save riders from crooked drivers, but it won’t do anything to protect them from the zone system itself.

Still, we’re willing to throw this open to our readers for their opinion. Click here to vote in today’s online poll, and let us know which fare system you prefer.