Coming Soon: Credit Card Capabilities in All Alexandria Taxis

Alexandria City Council is expected to adopt an ordinance Tuesday night at its legislative session requiring credit card payment capability in all taxicabs.

In January, council approved higher cab rates effective March 1, 2013, as part of the city’s biennial review of Alexandria’s taxicab industry. At the time, it was announced the city’s taxi companies were working toward requiring credit card payment capability in all cabs by a Sept. 1, 2013 target date. 

• See: Council Approves Taxicab Fare Increases

“At some point we need to make certain all our cabs and companies move forward with new technology in terms of making payments with credit cards,” Mayor Bill Euille said in January. “After more than a year and a half of discussion with the taxicab industry and working with them and giving them extensions, they finally came to the conclusion that enough is enough, let’s put it to bed and make this happen. And I honestly believe that is something we need to do here in Alexandria.”

There are roughly 748 cabs in the city operating through seven different companies.

Take a look at Tuesday night’s Alexandria City Council docket. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting can be viewed on Ch. 70 on Comcast Alexandria or on the city's website.