Taxis harder to catch as Washington, DC drivers strike over meter
By SARAH KARUSH
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Bewildered travelers faced 30-minute waits for taxis as drivers began a 24-hour Halloween strike to protest the mayor's decision to require meters.

At Union Station, the line for taxis reached several dozen people on Wednesday as morning trains from New York City and other points arrived. A dispatcher called out destinations to encourage people to share the scarce cabs, and unlicensed drivers trolled the back of the line for potential passengers.

At downtown hotels, doormen said they were steering more of their business to limousine companies to fill the gap.

It was unclear how many cab drivers were participating in the strike, but officials with the Taxicab Industry Group, one of several organizations representing drivers, estimated that as many was 90 percent of the city's approximately 7,500 drivers stayed off the streets on Halloween, traditionally a high-volume day.

Most drivers in the city are independent operators, but William J. Wright, the industry group's leader, said dispatch companies were reporting significant participation in the strike.

“They've had plenty of calls, but no one to run them,” he said.

The strike took D.C. resident Shown Marshall by surprise. She had hoped to catch a cab because she was running late for work. “But now I'm going to get out of this line,'' she said, turning to walk to the Metro station. “This is terrible.”

The strike appeared to have little effect on Halloween parties in Georgetown, a neighborhood with no subway stop. Automobile traffic was typical, though thousands of costumed revelers crowded the streets, said officer Junis Fletcher, a D.C. police spokesman.

Striking cabbies also appeared to be no problem for a nonprofit group's program to provide free rides for those who were too drunk to drive.
“I've talked to a number of drivers who said they were willing to strike during the day but wouldn't be willing to give up the lucrative evening hours,” said Kurt Erickson, president of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program, which operates the SoberRide program throughout the Washington area.

The company that provides most rides for SoberRide, Taxi Transportation Services, reported that about 75 percent of its drivers were working Wednesday night, he said.

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty announced Oct. 17 that he would go along with a provision passed by Congress to abolish zones and require meters like those used in every other major U.S. city. The provision gave Fenty the option to opt out of the switch, but forced him to make a choice one way or the other. The details of the change have not been worked out.

Many taxi drivers fear they will lose business under the change, which is expected to make long rides more expensive. They also say it will make it easier for big companies to dominate the business, forcing out many independent operators.

Taxi drivers in New York City have held two strikes this fall. The walkouts there were a response to new regulations that require the installation of new equipment that would let passengers watch TV, pay with credit cards and check their location using a global-positioning system. Those strikes did not cause major disruptions.