Photo by Sarah Anne Hughes.

Following a rally Wednesday by a group of cab drivers looking for an extension to the October 1 credit card reader installation deadline, the D.C. Taxicab Commission says they will consider their concerns on a case-by-case basis.

A group of drivers, led by DC Drivers United for Equal Rights, said there have been numerous issues with the payment service providers who are charged with installing the readers, including surprise fees and delayed installation. The over 100 cabbies present at the rally made it clear they wanted to have working credit card readers installed by the October 1 deadline, but were running into roadblocks.

In a release, the DCTC makes it clear that “no extension of the deadline was granted.” However, “DCTC did agree to review the specific hardship circumstances provided only through DC Drivers United for Equal Rights to determine if any relief would be warranted.”

DCTC is projecting about 5,100 taxis will be equipped with MTS by October 1; which represents 80% of the active fleet. PSPs should have the necessary capacity to handle the approximately 1,000 installations during the first week of October. This will resolve the needs of those drivers who previously have been unable to obtain the appropriate equipment. Enforcement action is planned to proceed against vehicles without MTS on October 1.

Should any cab drivers be granted an extension it would be their third. Update: A spokesman for the DCTC said the cab drivers that are granted “relief” will be required to have an installation scheduled in the week after October 1.