Aug 6, 2008 4:22 pm US/Pacific
San Jose Council Approves Higher Taxi Fares
SAN JOSE (BCN) ―
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The bill raised the base fare from $2 to $3.50, and each 1/10 mile after that will cost riders 30 cents instead of 25 cents, according to the council.
AP
San Jose taxicab owners could begin reprogramming their fare boxes Wednesday after the City Council approved a measure 10-1 to increase taxi fares.
The rate increase technically takes effect immediately but cabs must have their fare boxes updated before charging the new fees, said Michelle McGurk, spokeswoman for Mayor Chuck Reed's office.
After the fare meters are reprogrammed, they must be approved by the county Weights and Measures Department, and then drivers will be ready to go.
The bill raised the base fare from $2 to $3.50, and each 1/10 mile after that will cost riders 30 cents instead of 25 cents, according to the council.
Wait time was increased by $5 per hour to $30, and a flat rate of $1.50 was added to any trip to the Mineta San Jose International Airport.
When gasoline reaches $4.50 per gallon, cab drivers will add 50 cents to each fare to cover the rising cost of fuel. An additional 50 cents will be charged when fuel costs hit $5, $5.50 and $6 per gallon.
"Part of the reason the council looked at the rate structures is that they haven't had an increase since 2002," McGurk said. "The council was very concerned about the impact that rising fuel costs and the cost of living had on cab drivers, many of whom are owner/operators and are essentially running a small business."
The City Council also discussed a proposal to enact a flat-rate taxi fare for rides from the airport to downtown area, which are close in proximity and cause taxi drivers to lose money because of the proportionately smaller fare.
Taxis must wait in line at airports, burning up gas, and they do not make it up when they are delivering riders only a short distance from the airport, according to the council.
Council members are to return in 75 days with alternatives to the proposed $15 flat rate, McGurk said. In the interim they will perform outreach to nearby businesses whose employees frequent the airport on a regular basis and see if such a change would have a negative impact on them, she said.
The dissenting vote on the fare increases came from District 2 Council Member Forrest Williams.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)
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