2008 Woodie Awards
Cab drivers propose fee
Bill Dvorak
Issue date: 10/20/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
Students who rely on taxicab service for transportation after the T stops running around 12:30 a.m. may find themselves digging a little bit deeper into their pockets in the next few months.
Cab drivers will formally request an additional $1 surcharge on fares to compensate for rising gas prices at a hearing Boston police officials scheduled for next Wednesday. According to the Boston Police Department (BPD), the hearing will be conducted by Mark Cohen, the director of licensing for the BPD.
Senior marketing communications major Zachary Weil said that although he occasionally uses taxis after the T stops running, the slight price hike will not curb his cab use.
"Taxis are so expensive [that] adding another dollar isn't going to have any effect," Weil said.
Taxicab officials say the surcharge is a necessity.
"We are trying to help the driver because the cost of gas has skyrocketed," said Metro Cab Association, Inc. General Manager Steven Sullivan.
Sullivan, who drove a cab for 35 years, said the average driver working a 12-hour shift used to spend $10 to $12 on gas. But now, as gas prices have begun to rise steadily due to oil refinery destruction by the recent hurricanes in the Gulf Coast, Sullivan said gas for the same mileage can now cost up to $40.
According to an Oct. 5 report by the U.S. Department of Energy, gasoline prices rose by nearly 35 cents per gallon between Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, with prices now reaching up to $3.14 per gallon. For Boston-area taxi drivers, the added gas expense comes directly from their daily income, Sullivan said.
"We are trying to push for the $1 surcharge because, at the end of the day, the surcharge would leave the driver with $20 for gas, which in turn means $20 more for their families," he said.
The Boston Police Department's Hackney and Carriage Unit, which is in charge of everything from setting fare rates to leasing taxicabs, will be responsible for approving the surcharge. The department has received over a dozen requests from taxi drivers and three taxi associations (the Independent Taxi Operators Association-, the Boston Cab Association and the Top Cab Association) have filed written requests.
Cab drivers will formally request an additional $1 surcharge on fares to compensate for rising gas prices at a hearing Boston police officials scheduled for next Wednesday. According to the Boston Police Department (BPD), the hearing will be conducted by Mark Cohen, the director of licensing for the BPD.
Senior marketing communications major Zachary Weil said that although he occasionally uses taxis after the T stops running, the slight price hike will not curb his cab use.
"Taxis are so expensive [that] adding another dollar isn't going to have any effect," Weil said.
Taxicab officials say the surcharge is a necessity.
"We are trying to help the driver because the cost of gas has skyrocketed," said Metro Cab Association, Inc. General Manager Steven Sullivan.
Sullivan, who drove a cab for 35 years, said the average driver working a 12-hour shift used to spend $10 to $12 on gas. But now, as gas prices have begun to rise steadily due to oil refinery destruction by the recent hurricanes in the Gulf Coast, Sullivan said gas for the same mileage can now cost up to $40.
According to an Oct. 5 report by the U.S. Department of Energy, gasoline prices rose by nearly 35 cents per gallon between Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, with prices now reaching up to $3.14 per gallon. For Boston-area taxi drivers, the added gas expense comes directly from their daily income, Sullivan said.
"We are trying to push for the $1 surcharge because, at the end of the day, the surcharge would leave the driver with $20 for gas, which in turn means $20 more for their families," he said.
The Boston Police Department's Hackney and Carriage Unit, which is in charge of everything from setting fare rates to leasing taxicabs, will be responsible for approving the surcharge. The department has received over a dozen requests from taxi drivers and three taxi associations (the Independent Taxi Operators Association-, the Boston Cab Association and the Top Cab Association) have filed written requests.