City approves raise in taxi rates

Aug. 20—Taxicab customers in the city of Frederick will pay more for a ride after the city's aldermen voted to raise rates — a move cab company owners said was desperately needed in the face of rising costs.

The starting rate for a trip will increase from $2.80 to $4, and the rate for the first mile of a trip from $4.70 to a total of $6.

The rate for every mile after that will rise from $1.90, broken into 19 segments of 10 cents each, to $2, at 20 segments of 10 cents each.

Rates were last increased in 2012.

The resolution that the city's aldermen passed unanimously on Thursday night notes the increase in fuel prices and changes in the national and local economies, which may result in lower margins for taxicab drivers and companies.

The new rates should help drivers compete with ride-for-hire services like Uber and Lyft, Jenny Henneberry, a special vehicle coordinator for the city, told the mayor and aldermen Thursday.

Many drivers currently meet the standards for asset limited, income constrained, employed households (ALICE), she said.

That designation refers to households with income above the federal poverty level that can't afford the basic cost of living.

Denis Agniman, of Yellow Cab of Frederick and Agniman Transportation, said wait times will increase if he can't afford to hire drivers.

Taxi owners don't want to make people rely on Uber and Lyft for transportation, he said.

Companies need an increase to survive, William Bowie of Bowie Transportation said.

He said he knows an increase will be hard on lower-income residents who use the cab system.

But companies need an increase to survive and be able to continue to serve the people of Frederick, he said.