UTW
needs
Your
Donation

Commission Proposes Surcharge
to Compensate for Gas Prices

The Taxi Commission has asked the Board of Supervisors to enact a fare surcharge to compensate for high fuel costs. Although gas prices have come down some in recent weeks, at their height they were over $3 a gallon, more than $1 above the average price at the time of the last meter increase in Jan. 2003.
While the commission didn’t recommend any specific amount for the surcharge, figures mentioned at a Sept. 27 hearing on the subject ranged from 50 cents to $1 per trip. Some drivers and commission members suggested that the surcharge should be implemented by way of signage or by use of the “extras” button on the meter.
Drivers and commissioners also seemed partial to a proposed provision for an automatic fare adjustment in case of sharp increases or decreases in gas prices. UTW supports both a surcharge and an automatic adjustment mechanism.
While the recommendation did not contain specifics, it asked the board to consider certain principles in enacting a gas surcharge. They include protecting driver’s gates from increases and encouraging the use of hybrid taxis.
The commission’s recommendation has been passed on to the Board of Supervisors but no hearings have yet been scheduled.