Cab Fares Rise As City Implements Metered System

<FONT SIZE="+3"><B>Cab Fares Rise As City Implements Metered System</B>

By Barbara Cook

<I>Washington </I>- Taxi fares here took a hefty 25 percent jump on Oct. 1 as District of Columbia officials restructured the existing system of fare zones and moved toward the goal of replacing the zone system with metered cabs by Sept. 1, 1998.

Washington is thought to be the last major city without taxi meters, and it's been a source of complaints from business and leisure travelers alike (<I>BTN</I>, May 6). While D.C. residents and frequent visitors are used to the current system, in which the city is divided geographically and a flat rate set for each zone, it confuses most outsiders.

Now with competition from the region's modern and convenient subway system, the D.C. Taxicab Commission has agreed finally to switch to meters.

Under the fare increase that just took effect, the old zone map remains in place, but the rate for "sub-zones" has been eliminated and the price for each zone has jumped by 25 percent. A new morning rush-hour surcharge of $1 per passenger was tacked on to the base price of a ride for travel from 7:30-9:30 a.m. An evening rush hour surcharge of $1 per passenger was already in effect from 4-6:30 p.m. Other add-on charges were increased as well, including the rate for waiting and baggage.

With the new zone charges, a single-zone trip now costs $4, up from $3.20, and the maximum fare-for eight zones-shot up from $10.80 to $12.50.

Waiting time charges have also been revised, giving passengers a free wait for up to five minutes. From five to 10 minutes, the price is $1.50, while from 10 to 15 minutes the price is $3. After 15 minutes, the cost is prorated, based on an hourly charge of $20. The charge for brief stops on the way to a passenger's destination has been increased from 30 cents to $1.

The good news? The old 70- cent-per-ride fuel surcharge has been eliminated.