Contact: Neville Waters (202) 645-6020; [email protected]
Keith St. Clair (202)724-5349; [email protected]
(Washington, DC) – The DC Taxicab Commission (DCTC) and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) today announced the results of a successful joint task force that targeted illegal taxicab operators on Saturday evening. The special strike detail issued 65 tickets and impounded 14 vehicles during the operation. The range of infractions included broken meters, unlicensed vehicles and drivers, improperly maintained manifests, lack of proof of insurance and improper dress. The six-person unit rotated through the H Street Northeast entertainment district; the 700 block of Seventh Street Northwest in Chinatown and along the U Street Northwest corridor. The detail will continue to operate over the next several months at other locations around the District.
“We’re going to enforce our laws. If we find people operating taxicabs illegally, we’re going to cite them and impound their vehicles,” said Paul Quander Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice. “We will actively enforce this in our nightlife corridors to protect our residents and visitors -- as well as to protect the legitimate taxi operators who are doing business legally.”
The joint task force has set up this special strike detail to be deployed at different locations at different times throughout the District over the next several months. The detail’s objective is to crack down on illegal operators in such a way that they will not be aware of when and where task force members will be stationed. In addition to citing violators, the intent is to discourage illegal vehicles from operating on the District’s streets.
“This is a message to those operating vehicles illegally in the District that we will take enforcement action against them,” Said DC Taxicab Commission Ron M. Linton. “This special strike detail will be undertaking ongoing operations throughout the city in an effort to prevent this illegal activity.”
Eleven of the 14 vehicles that were impounded were unlicensed vehicles and the other three had non-functioning meters. There were seven unlicensed drivers who were issued Notices of Infraction and four drivers operating on another driver’s Face ID also were issued tickets.