Monday, November 10, 2008

Taxi Regulation

Taxi Regulation and Policy from http://www.schallerconsult.com/taxi/

Across the United States, taxi service is increasingly recognized as vital to cities' quality of life and their attractiveness to business and leisure visitors. At airports, hotels, convention centers, offices, tourist attractions, grocery stores, hospitals, doctors offices and homes, the public wants quick, reliable, safe and courteous taxicab service.

Unfortunately, customer expectations are sometimes disappointed. City officials thus face the daunting challenge of finding effective solutions for this unique industry, and then winning the necessary public, political and budgetary support.


Taxi fares of Major US cities compared



=========== Avg Trip|Short Trip|Long Trip

DC suburbs $12.08 8.35 23.70
Philadelphia $14.17 9.47 28.87
Baltimore $11.60 7.99 22.80
New York $13.10 8.65 27.10


Average U.S. trip in this list equates to 5 miles and 5 minutes of wait time
Short trip is defined as 2.8 miles and 4.77 minutes of wait time
Long trip = 12 miles and 5 minutes of wait time

This data was garnered from a Taxi Consultant, Schaller primarily works in New York, and his focus was on downtown areas of large cities, Rockville, Gaithersburg and Germantown are not considered large cities. Frederick Maryland is Maryland's second largest city but not the focus of Schallers report on 23 major cities:

"12 of the 23 cities increased fares in 2005, partly in response to rising gasoline prices, and as a result of many cities postponing fare increases during the recession earlier in this decade."


Approximate Taxi Fares from Regan International Airport


According to the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority
http://www.metwashairports.com/_/file/_/taxi_rate_dca.pdf

Reagan to Rockville Maryland $44.00 22 miles
Reagan to Potomac Maryland $38.00 19 miles
Reagan to Gaithersburg $52.00 26.5 miles
Reagan to Silver Spring $30.00 14.5 miles
Reagan to Chevy Chase $24.00 11.5 miles
Reagan to Bethesda $26.00 12 miles

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Free Taxi Ride Home?

This holiday season if you find yourself too drunk to drive home the WRAP organizations "SoberRide" will pay for your cab ride home.

Sober Ride
Called one the entire countries most successful "free taxi ride home programs" for drunk drivers, Since it's inception in 1993 over 41,000 impaired drivers have been driven home.

Caveats

  • Sober Ride does not apparently operate in Frederick County MD




  • Sober Rides pays UP TO $50.00 of the fare




  • Over $50 and you pay for it




  • Sober Ride only takes you home, no calling to go from a bar to a party




  • Only operates during the holiday season, but Halloween is included




  • For more information go to the W.R.A.P. website, click here


    CheckPoint StrikeForce
    An intensive law enforcement mobilization to get impaired drivers off our roads.

    Sobriety Checkpoints in DC/ Pennsylvania/ Delaware/ West Virginia/ Maryland.

    Using checkpoints and patrols when and where drunk driving is most likely to occur.

    Stopping over 800,000 drivers last year at sobriety checkpoints and in saturation patrols in the multi-state area of Delaware, The District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia..

    Too Drunk to Drive in Montgomery County or Frederick County?



    call a cab

    240 626-1147