Taxi fares may be changing due to economy

Taxi fares are on the agenda for Tuesday’s Wilmington City Council meeting.

Taxi drivers want to increase the meter rate by one dollar to help compensate for these tough economic times. That means right off the bat, a rider would see three dollars on the meter, instead of the current two dollar base fee.

City Council will also consider taking away the one dollar fuel surcharge that was implemented back when gas prices were extremely high.

Wilmington City Council’s Kristi Tomey said, “One of the things I would like to see would be a universal rate system for the city, the county, and the airport. And we don’t have that today. If you get in a cab at the airport, that charge will be different than if you get in that cab downtown or at Carolina Beach.”

As the rate stands now, drivers in Wilmington charge a two dollar drop rate, a dollar fuel surcharge, then a 35 cent charge for every one-sixth of mile.