The District of Columbia will soon begin to experiment with a new metered taxicab system, possibly to replace the current zone system that they operate on. Meters will be implimented to some cabs on a trial basis this spring.
Funny, during the trial period riders will be told how much it would have cost had they been metered, but still have to pay as prescribed in the zone system. This seems like an easy way for the city to push public sentiment toward the meters, as people will likely find out that they could have saved money had they been metered.
It's probably a good thing that the city is leading the public toward the meter system, considering the zone format is archaic and confusing. The zone map that is made available to the public is very unclear, making it hard to discern where one zone ends and another begins. This sets up a situation where, for example, taking a cab from the Tenleytown Metro stop to campus constitutes crossing into another zone, costing $4.50 one way, yet innocent freshman (or seniors!) could easily be ripped off. Because of the secrecy and confusion of the zones, drivers can pretty much charge whatever they want and justify it as a crossing of a certain number of zones.
With all the "intro to D.C." pamphlets that AU distributes, it's surprising that they don't give some instruction on the taxi system. They should. It would certainly be a useful service.
As the Washington City Paper and other local publications have shown, cab drivers already tend to overcharge in situations where they think they can get away with it, like with expensively dressed riders or tourists. In addition to clarifying the exact amount of a ride, the meter will help keep drivers from overcharging people.
