A big taxi fare hike might be just a hail away.
Yellow cab fleet owners want a whopping fare increase that would boost the price of a cab ride by a 19 percent and increase the base fare to $3 — in the same year the MTA is set to hike subway and bus fares.
If approved by the Taxi and Limousine Commission, the increase would bump a five-mile cab ride from $13 to $15.50 — and that doesn’t count any idling time, or the tip.
The proposal was submitted by the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade — the largest group representing medallion owners.
The last time the influential group requested a 26 percent fare hike in 2003, they got it in 2004.
The elements of the proposal include:
* Simply getting into a cab would increase from $2.50 to $3 — and that doesn’t include the 50 cent “MTA” tax Albany slapped onto the base fare last year.
* Increasing the flat fare to Kennedy Airport from $45 to $53, which is an 18 percent hike. That figure doesn’t count tolls or tip.
* Tinkering with the number of times a 40-cent “click” occurs — essentially speeding up the number of times a passenger is charged.
Riders would therefore be charged 40 cents every sixth of a mile the cab moves — right now the charge occurs every fifth of a mile.
That would increase the distance charge 20 percent.
The owners also want to change the definition of an idling click to every minute a cab idles, or travels at 10 mph or below. Right now, per-minute idling clicks are charged at speeds of 12 mph or below.
There only ironic upside to the proposal is that it wouldn’t hike your cost of being stuck in a traffic.
Taxi and Limousine Commission officials are reviewing the fleet owners’ proposal.
“The taxi industry has the right to petition for a fare increase, and we will evaluate that petition,” said TLC Chairman David Yassky.
There’s no timetable for when public hearing may be held on the proposal, or when the increase might kick in if it is enacted.
Fleet owners, who represent about 3,500 of the 13,000 yellow taxis in the city, submitted their proposal to the TLC last spring.
Higher expenses justify a hike, the fleet owners say.
“The only way we’re able to offset costs is through an increase,” said Michael Woloz, spokesman for the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade.
A seven-mile ride from the Upper East Side to Wall Street in which a cab is stuck in traffic for 25 minutes now costs about $27.
Under the fleet owners’ plan, the same ride would cost $30.30 — an increase of 12 percent.
The percentage increase for the same ride would be 19 percent if your cab hits no traffic at all, with the fare jumping from $17 to about $20.
That’s in keeping with what all cab drivers know: Keep moving to make money.
Passengers grumbled yesterday at the idea of a fare hike.
“Cabs are already expensive,” said Aleesa Radoncic, 26, of Kew Gardens, Queens. “I’ve had drivers scream at me for using a credit card. They expect me to pay more for that kind of service?”
“It’s unnecessary,” said Alice Vo, 22, of Queens. “Unless you have a great paying job, the cost is insane.”
The taxi industry figures even at the higher price, people will keep riding.
Previous increases of around 19 percent cut ridership by 3 percent, the fleet owners say — while increasing revenue by about 15 percent.
Additional reporting by Kelly Magee