You can view all of the color schemes HERE.
According to the Washington Times:
...The effort stems from a taxi modernization bill the D.C. Council passed this year as part of Mr. Gray's desire to make taxicab reform a signature effort of his administration. Besides a new color scheme, the District is phasing out old taxis, increasing the number of wheelchair-accessible cabs and rolling out smart meters that would allow riders to pay by credit card and watch TV during their rides.In late 2012, interested members of the public voted for a particular color scheme either by going to Verizon Center or by completing an online survey. Overall, the proposed color schemes have not been well received by the public or the D.C. Council. In addition, all the votes cast for particular color schemes meant absolutely nothing: the D.C. Council makes the final decision, and that final decision does not necessarily adhere to the votes cast by the public. In other words, the votes cast by the public mean absolutely nothing; the D.C. Council will do what it wishes regardless of public input and public preference.
Overall, the reforms have been debated for months and touched off heated protests among taxi drivers, who think their leaders are burdening them with extra costs and intruding on their private businesses....
More significantly, as David Alpert stated in Greater Greater Washington:
I generally don't think we need a uniform brand at all. This push for a uniform color seems to be regulating for regulating's sake.Several commenters at that thread in Greater Greater Washington agreed with Mr. Alpert and rightly pointed out that other issues should be more pressing for the D.C. Council.
One wag in that comments thread summed up the idiocy of this push for uniform cab color:
You know how I spot cabs? I look for the light on top that says "TAXI". The color of the car is trivial.Zing!
by 7r3y3r on Dec 13, 2012 10:46 am
People with power want to use their power, even if they have to invent a reason to use it. People with power have one thing in common. They have an overwhelming need to control whatever it is they have power over.
ReplyDelete"regulating for regulating's sake"
ReplyDeleteThat describes rogue governments at all levels.
This is getting way out of hand. Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteThe reforms worked pretty well in Boston.
ReplyDeleteBefore they started enforcing the regs a lot of cabs were eye sores and smelled like toilets. Much better now.
No pink, muave and puce for the "festive" types? There will be demonstrations over that, let Canada be warned.
ReplyDeleteIts all about graft.
ReplyDeleteThe latest "thing" is vinyl decals or body wraps. Its cheaper and quicker than paint and its made with a computer program that prints and cuts the vinyl to size and prints the required colors and graphics on a gigantic printer.
Pay some wino's or druggies to put them on at a large profit margin and PRESTO, someone on the city council (or his brother-in-law) makes a killing! $$$$
Set yourself up in business for about 14 K USD or get someone who has the equipment to print it for you, Mark it up some obscene amount then set yourself as an "approved" vendor and you have a business with a guaranteed "customers" who have no choice but to pay up for your crappy vinyl.
Another end of the scam involves "licensing and inspection" of approved vendors when all the members of the City Council become aware of the amount of free money involved in under the table endorsements and wink and nod favors.
Two words for you Nostradumbass, Big Dig!
Those little cabs look like hybrids or electrics. If they are, I bet we are subsidizing them. Doesn't look like there's much room for luggage. I'll be in New York in March and will report back, if not on color, on how many normal sized cabs I see.
ReplyDeleteMaggie, the "CNG" on the two vans shown above stands for "compressed natural gas", the Ford C-Max is a hybrid but (as far as I know) the only Toyota hybrid is the Prius and the Camry is considered a mid-sized car (and is not a hybrid).
ReplyDeleteWe must have more rules. I couldn't survive without more rules.
ReplyDeleteAnd how much are these color standards going to cost the businesses??? How will they make up the cost? Charge the customers of course.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long time. There is not even a "planetary emergency" to justify it.
ReplyDelete