Fairfax County supervisors on Dec. 6 meeting unanimously approved a temporary, uncodified ordinance that will permit an up-to-$1-per-trip taxicab-fuel surcharge that will be in effect from Dec. 30 through June 30 next year.
Supervisors have the option of rescinding the ordinance sooner because of sustained changes in economic conditions. The county’s Consumer Protection Commission recommended Nov. 15 that the board adopt the temporary measure, said Rebecca Makely, director of the Department of Cable and Consumer Services.
County supervisors twice this year approved emergency taxicab-fuel charges to lessen the burden on cab companies. One up-to-$1-per-trip surcharge was in effect from April 13 through June 11; an up-to-$2-per-trip surcharge took effect June 29 and will expire Dec. 29.
When the latter surcharge went into effect, the average price for regular, unleaded gasoline in the county was $5.022 per gallon. On Dec. 6, the American Automobile Association reported the cost had dipped to $3.51 per gallon, Makely said.