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Taxi drivers tell council color scheme and rules hamper competitiveness; DFHV exploring limited pilot
Summary
A long‑time taxi driver testified the city's two‑color taxi paint rule imposes $1,100–$2,000 painting costs, severely reduces resale value and deters new drivers; DFHV said it will test limited pilots removing the color requirement for some vehicles while keeping dome‑light and trade‑dress verification.
At the Committee on Public Works hearing a Ward 5 taxi driver told members DC's mandated taxi paint scheme is a barrier to entry and competitiveness with app‑based services. "When we buy them, we have to paint them and spend from 1,100 to $2,000," the driver said, adding the vehicle loses resale value once repainted.
The driver, Tekele Tewolde, said the local taxi fleet has shrunk dramatically: "We used to have like 10,000 taxi cabs in DC… Right now, we have like 1,300 taxis." He urged the council to eliminate the rigid color requirement and to grant DFHV the authority to make small operational decisions — for example a temporary gas surcharge — without seeking repeated approvals that slow responsiveness to market changes.
Director Jonathan Rogers said DFHV is "thinking through a pilot program" to test removing the color scheme for a limited number of vehicles, especially to enable wheelchair‑accessible and electric vehicles to enter service without repainting. He said DFHV would preserve passenger recognition through continued dome‑light requirements and a trade‑dress emblem (possibly with QR verification) if the pilot proceeds, and that any statutory change would likely require council action.
The committee discussed related issues including drivers' ability to use dispatch apps (some use Curb), the role of hybrid versus fully electric vehicles in taxi operations, and design of any emergency fuel surcharge authority. Chair Nadeau asked DFHV to bring details to a planned roundtable and to report back on pilot design.
