Taxi Strike - DC drivers strike again over meter requirements

WASHINGTON (AP) _ District of Columbia taxi drivers on Monday
held the first of what organizers said would be weekly strikes
protesting the mayor's decision to require meters in cabs beginning
in April.

At the Phoenix Park Hotel across from Union Station, front desk
agent Will Jacobs said that while there were fewer taxis than
usual, it was not too difficult to find a ride. “I just saw three
cabs drive by,” he said while looking out the window.

It was unclear exactly how many cab drivers were participating
in the 12-hour strike, which began at 7 a.m. William J. Wright,
president of the Taxicab Industry Group, estimated that 90 percent
of the city's approximately 7,500 drivers were staying off the
streets.

Wright, whose group also organized a Halloween strike to protest
the meters, said Monday's strike would be followed by another work
stoppage next Tuesday, with strikes continuing once a week on
rotating days until Mayor Adrian M. Fenty changed the new rules for
the city's taxi industry.

The time-and-distance meter system for calculating fares, which
begins April 6, is similar to what is used in other big cities. It
is designed to be less confusing for passengers than the city's
existing system, which consists of 22 concentric areas radiating
out from a central downtown zone.

Drivers, however, worry the change will cause a loss of business
because passengers no longer will be able to predict their fares.
They also say the planned $3 base rate for trips is too low to make
a living.

AP-ES-02-04-08 1528EST