D.C. taxi drivers went on strike Monday in what organizers said was the first of weekly strikes to protest the city’s plans to switch from a zone to a meter fare system in April.
The 12-hour strike, organized by the taxicab union Coalition of Cab Drivers, Companies and Associations of Washington, D.C., occurred from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., leading some commuters to find alternative modes of transportation.
On Jan. 16, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty announced that every taxi in the District would be required to use a meter by April 6. The new system is expected to both standardize and reduce fares.
While many riders in the District have supported the change, drivers in D.C., which is a city known for its independent cabs, have protested the change to a meter system because many believe it will allow large cab companies to take over the business. Meters are generally expensive for independent cab drivers to install and maintain.
Kwame Agyemfra, a driver for Diamond Cab Company, said he and many other drivers believe that the city is trying to “reduce our income.”
“The shift from zones to meters is fine, but not if it’s going to lower fares,” he said. He also said that more strikes are planned, though he was unsure of the details.
“We will monitor the situation and respond as necessary,” said Fenty spokesperson Dena Iverson. She said drivers did not strike on Monday.
“There hasn’t been a strike,” she said on Wednesday.
Representatives from several major taxi companies in the area, including American Cab, Diamond Cab, Silver Cab and Yellow Cab declined to comment.
The taxi lane at the Georgetown Marriott Conference Center, usually backed up with six or seven cars, was completely empty, according to Salm Spina, assistant front desk manager.
“This past strike wasn’t that big a deal, because we didn’t have that many people staying here,” Spina said in reference to Monday’s strike.
Spina went on to say that the hotel “relies heavily on sedan services” when taxis aren’t available and will continue to do so during any future strikes.
“
