Taxi rates not decreasing, after all
Baltimore taxi riders will continue to pay the same mileage rates when they hop in a cab, for a few more weeks, at least.
You may have read the story last week about a taxi mileage rate decrease set to take effect March 1, based on a semi-annual review of gas prices. If you heard a lot of honking at the intersection of Baltimore Street and St. Paul Street on Wednesday, that was a protest by taxi drivers calling attention to their situation.
Well, late on Friday afternoon, a group of taxi drivers incensed about the decline obtained a temporary injunction on taxi mileage rate decreases from a Baltimore Circuit Court judge.
As a result ...
... rates will remain at $2.20 per mile until a March 25 hearing, rather than decreasing to $1.65. Also, the flat rate for trips from downtown hotels to BWI Marshall Airport will remain $30. That rate was set to decrease to $22.
The automatic fare adjustment stems from a 2005 agreement between taxi associations, the Office of the People's Counsel and the state Public Service Commission, which regulates taxi rates in Baltimore and Baltimore County didn't include taxi drivers, many of whom are independent owner-operators, said cabbie Goitom Gebre-Ab.
Although gas prices have come down, most of their other expenses have increased, such as maintenance, insurance and the price to belong to associations such as Yellow Transportation. Paying association dues allows drivers to pick up passengers at stands at Penn Station and hotels downtown.
Drivers also say that taxi rates have increased in other jurisdictions, including Anne Arundel County. As a result, a metered taxi from BWI to downtown Baltimore costs at least $35.
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Gas prices, Travel
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Posted by: name | July 29, 2009 11:10 AM