Consumer / Transit
Taxi hike approved before drivers see a dime.
The meter rises at midnight; fuel, medallion debt and the airport surcharge were already awake.
Taxi fares rise 11 percent at midnight under rules approved by the Taxi and Limousine Commission, the first broad increase in four years and the third increase in fees charged to the drivers operating the cars.
The base fare will climb by fifty cents. Time and distance rates also rise, while a new congestion recovery charge applies to trips entering central Algonquin during the hours when central Algonquin has traffic.
Fleet owners welcomed the adjustment. Drivers said vehicle leases, fuel cards and dispatch fees would absorb most of it before the first passenger opened a door.
Passenger advocates requested clearer meter notices. The commission responded with a six-page decal printed small enough to fit beside the existing six-page decal.