After eight years of not much of anything happening for cabdrivers, SFMTA has decided on meter increases for the City’s taxis. Come July, cabs are expected to become a bit more expensive, adding 10-cents to the usual meter prices. And now it looks like you’d better have cash in hand to pay those fees.
While rates for riders might be going up, taxi drivers have to contend with a different type of increase, charging them 5% for every customer who uses a credit card. Strikes have been threatened by the drivers, although no concrete plans have been made. As many SFians know, however, cabbies are clever people and have reportedly found their own way to protest in the meantime.
As the NY Times/Bay Citizen reports, paying with cash is getting a lot more popular when taking a taxi in SF. Passengers aren’t doing so in solidarity with cab drivers, but because many drivers claim their credit card machines are broken. Some drivers have even added the word “no” to their standard “credit cards accepted” sign, though SF cabdrivers are required to accept credit cards by the SFMTA.
“All the machines are working just fine,” confirms cabbie Jeffrey Rosen told the NYT, which reports that “the number of cabbies refusing credit cards had increased markedly since the fee took effect.”
Readers, have you experienced this? If so, how have you handled the situation?
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