Photo by NCinDC

Those mediocre D.C. cab rides just got a little more expensive.

This morning the D.C. Taxicab Commission gave final approval to a fare increase proposal that will see per-mile charges jump from $1.50 to $2.16. Per-hour wait times will jump from $15 to $25, and rides during snow emergencies will see a flat fee of $15 per trip.

And while riders may be livid that they’ll be paying more, the fare increase is coupled with the scrapping of a number of surcharges, including the $1 fuel surcharge (which is employed when gas prices are high), the additional passenger fee (except for vans), the large bag and trunk fees, and the small animal fee. The 50-cent standard luggage surcharge will remain, though briefcases, bags of groceries and other small parcels won’t count as luggage. (The $19 fare cap was lifted in September.)

Ever since the fare increases were proposed by D.C. Taxicab Commissioner Ron Linton in December, he’s had to navigate a political minefield. While drivers have long said that fares have been too low since D.C. adopted meters in 2007, they complained that Linton’s proposal denied them of their most constant stream of revenue: surcharges. (They have a point: the Post reported in November that without surcharges, D.C.’s taxicab fares are among the lowest in the nation.) For many riders, the fare increase isn’t a problem in and of itself—provided that it’s accompanied by service improvements, though.

In December, Linton said that “industry improvements are a must,” and advocated for credit card payment options, GPS tracking and driver education. Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) has also introduced legislation calling for the modernization of the city’s 8,500 cabs.

On top of higher fares, riders could expect to pay a 50-cent surcharge on every ride if Mayor Vince Gray has his way. He proposed the surcharge as part of his 2013 budget to fund the operations of the commission, which licenses and regulates the city’s taxicabs.

Moving foward, starting on April 21 cab drivers will have to pay $50 to get their meters calibrated for the new fares. The commission expects the calibration to be completed by mid- to late-May.