Ka-Ching! Philadelphia Taxi Riders Begin Paying Fuel Surcharges
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The cost of a taxi ride has gone up in Philadelphia. Fuel surcharges went into effect this month, and some taxi riders don't like the idea.
Beginning May 1st, the per-trip fuel surcharge is $1.25.
"The price that I'm paying should already include the gas," said one woman today outside 30th Street Station in West Philadelphia. "Like, when I go to a restaurant, am I going to have to pay a surcharge for someone cleaning up the restaurant? It comes with the business."
Others reluctantly accept the additional fee.
"I guess it's kind of unavoidable with gas prices going up," said one man. "I don't like to pay it, though."
The board of the Philadelphia Parking Authority has also approved an additional fee for airport transfer vans, allowing them to charge $2.75 per customer headed to or from the airport.
The fuel surcharge rate will be adjusted each month based on the previous month's average area gasoline prices (see related story).
