City wins taxi meter dispute

WASHINGTON - A judge cleared the way for meters in all taxi cabs in D.C., but the ruling issued Monday will be appealed.

William Wright Jr., one of the members of the Taxi Cab Drivers Coalition that sued the city, tells WTOP the judge's ruling "surprised" him.

"We're going to have a meeting in the next 24 hours to decide what we'll do, but I can tell you now it's going to be a continuous fight," Wright says.

According to the D.C. Superior Court Judge Brook Hedge's ruling: "The Mayor also had authority, under the Home Rule Act, to delegate his authority to the Chairperson of the D.C. Taxicab Commission to issue regulations implementing this decision. Since the Mayor had authority to issue rules, he had authority to decide which meter system (time and distance or zone) was in the best interests of the District of Columbia."

"We're very pleased with the decision. I fully expect an emergency appeal, but we'll deal with that," acting D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickels tells WTOP.

Jeffery O'Toole, attorney for the taxi cab drivers, tells WTOP he does plan to appeal the judge's decision. O'Toole says he believes Hedge was wrong when she defined the term "The District" to mean the mayor.

O'Toole argues the when Congress required the mayor to make a decision on the fate of meters in the in Omnibus Authorization Act that Congress granted the authority to choose what types of meters to the D.C. Taxi Cab Commission when it wrote "The District."

O'Toole tells WTOP he is negotiating with the Attorney General's Office to delay a May 1 deadline for the meters. If the two sides cannot reach agreement on a new date, O'Toole will ask the courts for a further delay.

The cab drivers have 30 days to file a Notice of Appeal with the D.C. Court of Appeals.

Last October, Fenty announced the switch from the zone system to meters in order to reduce confusion and increase transparency in the fare system.

Fenty is expected to hold a news conference Tuesday morning to announce final details of the meter system.

The move to meters has prompted taxi strikes in the city, and could prompt more.

Most taxi drivers are balking at paying the estimated $350 for a meter.

City officials had said drivers who have not installed the meters will face a $1,000 fine every time they're caught picking up rides without them.

Under the meter system, cabs will charge a $3 flag drop rate and 25 cents for every one-sixth of a mile after the first sixth of a mile traveled. There also will be a 25-cent charge for every minute spent stopped or traveling less than 10 miles per hour. The snow emergency rate will be the regular fare plus 25 percent.

The maximum fare for all trips within the city will be $19.

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