The DC Taxicab Commission (DCTC) is authorizing shared rides from a designated area near RFK Stadium for the Presidential Inauguration on Monday, January 21, 2013. Starters will line up taxis along 17th Street southbound from Independence Avenue SE. Taxis must carry four (4) passengers from this specific location to the downtown drop-off location near the parade venue.
Starters will begin to line up vehicles on 17th Street SE from Independence Avenue at 5:00 am. Taxis will be directed to go south on 17th Street to a right turn on D Street and head east to a left on 11th Street going southbound to the new exit ramp on the right hand side to 295/395 South; follow 295/395 to the 6th Street/7th Street exit. Take the exit and bear right onto E Street SW to discharge passengers at 6th and E Street.
The return rides to the RFK Stadium Bus Parking Lots will begin at 1:00 pm with starters lining up taxis on 6th Street from I Street SW. Taxis will be directed east on I Street to 4th Street and take a right on 4th Street to M Street. Follow M Street to 11th Street and take a left heading northbound to Independence Avenue; turn right on Independence Avenue and follow back to RFK Stadium.
The shared ride flat rate of twenty-eight dollars ($28.00) each way will be in effect until 6:00 pm. Passengers can decide their preferred method for sharing the payment. The shared ride flat rate is intended to encourage taxis to assist in alleviating the transportation challenge for the projected 60,000 people arriving by bus. The shared rides will bring passengers within three blocks of the National Mall rather than walking the approximately three mile pedestrian route.
There will be no street hails for taxis allowed on East Capital Street along the pedestrian route from RFK Stadium. Downtown DC area road closures will restrict vehicular travel with restricted zones in effect from 7:00 am on Sunday, January 20, 2013 until 7:00 am on Tuesday, January 22, 2013. All vehicular road closures will be instituted by the DC Metropolitan Police Department.
Shared rides will be allowed on Saturday, January 19, 2013, Monday, January 21, 2013 and Tuesday, January 22, 2013 from the Washington Convention Center and also available on Sunday, January 20, 2013 from the National Building Museum. These shared rides will operate under the standard DCTC regulations. There is no flat rate; drivers will re-set the flag drop after the departure of each passenger.
The designated pick-up area for the Washington Convention Center on Saturday and Tuesday will be Mt Vernon Place NW between 7th and 9th Streets with starters lining up taxis at 7:30 pm on Saturday and 9:30 pm on Tuesday. On Monday, starters will begin to line up taxis at 9:00 pm on the westside of 6th Street NW at New York Avenue and the eastside of 10th Street at New York Avenue.
The designated pick-up area for shared rides at the National Building Museum will be H Street NW between 4th and 5th Streets. Starters will begin to line up taxis at 9:00 pm.
In addition, the Additional Passenger Fare of one dollar ($1.00) per additional passenger is authorized city-wide and will be in effect for DC taxis from 4:00 am Monday, January 21, 2013 until 12:00 midnight Monday, January 21, 2013. The Additional Passenger Fare should ensure that taxi service continues to be available throughout all areas of the city during the day of the Presidential Inauguration. The Additional Passenger Fare is only valid for street hail responses and is not allowed for the shared rides from RFK Stadium, the Washington Convention Center, or the National Building Museum.
More details are available at www.inauguration.dc.gov.