Mayor Vincent Gray signed an executive order last Friday authorizing a $1.00 fuel surcharge for all taxicab rides originating or terminating within the District of Columbia, the D.C. government reported. The charge took effect Monday for all fares originating and ending in the District. It has been extended, effective today, to trips that begin in the District and end in other jurisdictions. The action followed a recommendation from the D.C. Taxicab Commission to offset the impact of the steady rise in fuel prices in the metropolitan area on taxicab operators. As originally adopted, the surcharge—just as a similar surcharge that the D.C. Taxicab Commission adopted in 2008—was intended to apply only to fares originating and ending within the District. However, the rulemaking action was revised yesterday to make it applicable to all taxicab fares. As revised, the charge will remain in effect until July 27, 2011, unless terminated earlier by the chairperson of the Taxicab Commission.
