taxi

Hospital Employee Arrested After Robbery Attempt, Foot Chase

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 12:05 a.m. on 12/23/21) A Virginia Hospital Center worker has been arrested and charged in a bizarre attempted robbery at the hospital.

Police say 48-year-old Alexandria resident [name redacted], an employee at the hospital’s cafeteria, tried to rob his own employer over the weekend.

According to police, [redacted] took a taxi to the hospital around 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. While the cab waited outside, [redacted] allegedly went to the food service office in the cafeteria, confronted his manager with a knife, and demanded the combination to the safe. When the manager insisted she didn’t know the combination, police say, [redacted] bound her hands and feet with electrical cord, placed the safe on an office chair, and wheeled the chair out to the waiting cab.

The taxi driver became suspicious as [redacted] was loading the safe into the trunk and jumped out of the cab, according to police. At that point, hospital security ran outside. [Redacted] is then accused of getting into the driver’s seat of the cab and trying to drive away. The cab driver, however, somehow managed to jump into the passenger seat of the hybrid taxi and kill the ignition with the press of a button.

Police say [redacted] then fled on foot. Officers quickly located him and, after a brief foot pursuit, [redacted] was taken into custody without further incident, according to police.

[Redacted] was charged with abduction, grand larceny, two counts of robbery, and possession of PCP, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

SoberRide Program Provides Free Rides Home

By Katie Pyzyk

A lot of people celebrate the holiday season with alcohol, which can make the roads dangerous. To keep the streets a little safer from potentially impaired drivers, SoberRide is offering free taxi rides home.

From now through January 1, riders in Arlington and the surrounding areas can receive a free cab ride home, up to a $30 fare. The Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WARP) teamed up with several sponsors to offer the service. Multiple taxi companies, including Arlington’s Red Top Cab, are participating in the initiative.

Riders must be at least 21 years old and follow a few guidelines, including not reserving a taxi in advance. The service runs from 10:00 p.m. through 6:00 a.m.

All calls must go to 1-800-200-TAXI. Do not call your local cab company directly to request SoberRide services. There is more information about the program on the WRAP website.

County Board Approves Increase in Taxicab Fares

By ARLnow.com

Arlington will soon have the highest per-mile regulated taxicab fare of any major D.C. area jurisdiction.

After about 2 hours of discussion, the Arlington County Board decided to eschew a recommendation from county staff to increase the initial cab charge (“drop fee”) by 25 cents and the extra passenger charge by 50 cents, instead opting to increase the per-mile charge by 10 cents.

Starting on Jan. 1, 2012, cab trips originating in Arlington County will cost $2.10 per mile, compared to $1.50 per mile in the District and $2.00 per mile in Fairfax and Montgomery counties.

The fare increase will bump up the cost of the average cab ride in Arlington — about 5 miles, according to county staff — by $0.50 and will increase the cost of a 25 mile trip to Dulles Airport by $2.50. The $0.10 per mile increase was presented to the Board as an “alternative” by county staff, which argued that raising the drop fee and extra passenger charge would be less costly for most passengers, while still compensating cab drivers for an approximately 5 percent increase in expenses since the last fare hike in 2008.

In the end, the Board voted 5-0 for the $0.10 per mile increase, plus a provision to raise the minimum age for the extra passenger charge from 6 to 12. County staff’s recommendations — to increase the extra passenger charge and the drop fee, and to require all Arlington cabs to accept credit cards — were all rejected by the Board.

In arguing against increasing the drop fee, County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman said that he was worried about increasing the cost to lower-income individuals who use taxicabs to make short trips to places like the grocery store. He said that longer trips, like those to Dulles, are “more likely to be put on an expense account.”

While Arlington’s main cab drivers’ association supported the mileage increase, some individual cab drivers who spoke before the Board on Saturday said they were worried that the increase could actually hurt business.

“With the hardship that is going on right now, it is not the right time to increase the fare,” one driver said.

The per-mile fare increase will increase the cost of the county’s STAR para-transit program — which utilizes taxis to transport lower-income disabled individuals — by $29,224, according to data supplied by county staff.

County Board to Consider Taxi Fare Hike

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:10 p.m.) The Arlington County Board is scheduled to consider a fare hike for Arlington taxi operators this weekend.

The proposal would raise the initial drop charge from $2.75 to $3.00 and would raise the charge for additional passengers from $1.00 to $1.50. Arlington County staff is recommending the Board approve the increase in order to offset an estimated 5 percent rise in expenses for taxi drivers since the last fare hike in 2008. (The per-mile rate was increased from $1.80 to $2.00 in July 2008)

Although taxi drivers in Arlington drive branded taxi cabs — Red Top, Blue Top, Envirocab, etc. — they are actually independent business owners who merely pay the cab companies fees for use of the name and other services. Therefore it’s the drivers, not the companies, that are affected when gas prices or insurance rates increase. Arlington County estimates that cab drivers here currently make between $40,000 and $60,000 per year, after expenses.

To provide a benefit to local taxi riders who will be affected by the fare hike, the Board will consider a new rule requiring credit card machines in all Arlington-based taxicabs. Also, to lessen the impact of the fare hike on families, county staff is recommending the Board exempt riders younger than 12 from the additional passenger charge. Currently, the charge is only waived for children younger than 6 years old.

The fare hike will not only affect riders, but will affect the county’s bottom line as well. Staff estimates that the rate increase will cost Arlington’s STAR para-transit program — which uses taxis to transport disabled citizens — more than $12,000 per year.

If approved, the rate hike would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2012. The credit card requirement would take effect on Dec. 1, 2012.

Taxi Cab Flips Over on GW Parkway

By ARLnow.com

Police and firefighters are on the scene of a taxi cab that somehow flipped on its side on the GW Parkway.

The accident reportedly occurred just after the ramp from eastbound Route 50 to the Parkway’s southbound lanes.

The cab driver was able to get out of the cab and is uninjured, according to police radio traffic. At least one lane is getting by the accident scene.

Crime Report: Dirty Cab Drivers Edition

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, there were two incidents of male cab drivers trying to get fresh with their female passengers.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY, 10/07/11, 800 block of N. Randolph Street. On October 7 at 3 am, a cab driver touched a woman on her arms and legs, as well at attempted to kiss her without her consent. He is described as a white Middle-Eastern male in his 40’s, 5’7″ with a heavy build. He was wearing a white and blue plaid button-up shirt.

SEXUAL BATTERY, 10/10/11, 5000 block of Carlin Springs Road. On October 8 at 11:40 pm, a woman moved to the front seat in a cab because the cab driver asked for better directions. The driver then touched her breasts. The woman fled when they reached her destination. The suspect is described as a slightly overweight Indian male in his mid to late 20’s, with dark hair and a full beard.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.
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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Construction to Begin on Rosslyn Office Project — The long-stalled Central Place office project may finally be moving forward. Developer JBG says construction on a new 390-foot office tower, adjacent to the Rosslyn Metro station, will likely begin in the second quarter of 2012. The project will be competing with the nearby 1812 N. Moore Street project for the title of tallest skyscraper in the D.C. area. [Washington Post]

Taxi Fee Increase in the Works — The Arlington County Board is expected to advertise public hearings for a possible increase in two fees charged by taxi cabs. County staff is recommending the initial base taxi fare (the “drop fee”) be raised from $2.75 to $3.00, while also recommending the extra-passenger charge be hiked from $1.00 to $1.50. All fees charged by Arlington-based taxis are set by the county. [Sun Gazette]

Is Arlington Blocking I-66 Widening? — Why isn’t VDOT rushing to widen additional sections of I-66 inside the Beltway? Bob Chase, of the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance blames obstructionism from Arlington. But County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman says a lack of money is behind the lack of action — and that Arlington “by itself doesn’t have the power to get in the way of more lanes.” [Washington Examiner]

H-B Woodlawn, a.k.a. Hippie High — H-B Woodlawn Secondary School — the educational experiment once known as ‘Hippie High’ — turned 40 this year. According to the Post: “Hippie High enters middle age far more conventional than it once was, with many of its students loading up on AP courses and obsessing about their SAT scores and grade-point averages just like their peers at ordinary high schools.” [Washington Post]

New Remy Music Video — Arlington Rap Guy Remy Munasifi has released a new, politically-charged music video. The video takes on the recent Occupy Wall Street protests. [Clarendon Culture]

Crime Report: Overexposure Edition

By ARLnow.com

Men in various states of nudity caused quite a bit of trouble over the past week. This week’s Arlington County crime report lists five separate indecent exposure cases, including two arrests.

EXPOSURE-ARREST, 09/23/11, 2400 block of Arlington Boulevard. On September 23 at 4:45 am, an officer witnessed a man running nude on the highway. Mark Dewitt, 48, of Arlington, was charged with Indecent Exposure. He was held on a $3,000 bond.

EXPOSURE-ARREST, 09/23/1, 2300 block of Walter Reed Drive. On September 23 at 1:50 pm, a man was seen exposing himself on a bike trail. Russell Bixby, 48, of no fixed address, was charged with Indecent Exposure and released on a summons.

EXPOSURE, 09/23/11, 3200 block of Arlington Boulevard. On September 23 at 7:40 am, a man was jogging and suddenly stopped in front of three teenage girls. He acted as if he was going to tie his shoe, but exposed himself instead. The girls went to school and reported the incident. The suspect is described as a white male, 5’8″, and 165 lbs. wearing black running shorts and a baseball cap.

EXPOSURE, 09/25/11, 1300 block of N. Meade Street. On September 25 at 8:20 pm, a woman was walking and noticed a man walking behind her who was exposing himself. The suspect was 25 year-old a white male, 5’10” wearing a light colored shirt, dark pants, and large glasses.

EXPOSURE, 09/25/11, 1500 block of N. Rhodes Street. On September 25 at 9 pm, a man approached a woman sitting on a step smoking a cigarette. He touched her leg and when she pulled away, he exposed himself. The suspect was a white Hispanic male in his mid-20’s, 5’5″ and 150 lbs. He was wearing an orange baseball cap, blue t-shirt and dark shorts.

Also this week, a woman who got into a vehicle she initially thought was a taxicab was touched inappropriately by the driver. Later, she realized the car was, in fact, probably not a taxi.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY, 09/25/11, 4600 block of Washington Boulevard. On September 25 at 2:30 am, a woman reported that she got into a car in Washington D.C., assuming it was a taxi. She sat in the front seat and the driver touched her breasts. She fled the car at her designation, and now believes the vehicle was not a taxi. The suspect is a white Hispanic male in his mid-40’s, 5’7″ and 180 lbs.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

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WaPo Covers Arlington’s ‘Karaoke Cab’

By ARLnow.com

Have you ever hopped in a Red Top Cab at night and realized that it wasn’t just a taxi, it was a karaoke parlor on wheels?

If so, you’ve probably met Joel Orbina Laguidao, the subject of an amusing Washington Post Style section feature this week.

A former truck driver, Laguidao started driving a cab shortly after moving to Virginia from the Philippines. After becoming bored with just driving all the time, he installed a karaoke machine.

The Post recently rode shotgun as Laguidao hauled bar-goers from Clarendon back to their apartments in Ballston, Pentagon City and elsewhere. Intrepid reporter Dan Zak bore witness to the looks of disbelief on the faces of first-time riders, and to the loud, terrible drunken singing that serenades Laguidao during his workday (that is, when Laguidao is not on the mic himself).

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Pentagon Suspect Suspected in Shootings — The man whose arrest prompted authorities to shut down Washington Boulevard during the Friday morning rush hour is now being investigated for a possible connection to a mysterious series of incidents of shots fired at the Pentagon and various Northern Virginia sites linked to the Marine Corps. Yonathan Melaku, a 22-year-old Marine reservist, is currently being held at a Loudoun County jail. [Inside Nova]

Arlington Cabbies Stage Sit-In — Arlington taxi drivers surprised county officials by packing into a Arlington County office yesterday in protest of regulations that they say give the owners of taxi companies too much control over drivers. [Washington Examiner]

Pike ‘Bike Boulevards’ Generate Opposition — Some residents are upset about what they see as a lack of advanced notice regarding Arlington’s plan to build ‘bike boulevards’ on two streets that run parallel to Columbia Pike. Also: more details on how the bike boulevards would work. [Greater Greater Washington]

Bishop O’Connell Teacher Missing — A popular English teacher at Bishop O’Connell High School has gone missing. Tom Duesterhaus was last seen on Friday in Virginia Beach. [Patch]

Photo courtesy James Mahony

D.C. Cabbies Refusing Va. Fares

By ARLnow.com

Update at 11:35 a.m. — As this story was being written, NBC4’s Tom Sherwood reported on Twitter that the D.C. fuel surcharge will now apply to both in-city and out-of-town trips.

New fuel surcharge rules in the District are giving cabbies another reason to refuse Virginia fares.

Anybody who’s ever tried to take a cab from the District to Arlington late at night or on a holiday knows that D.C. cabbies do not like driving into Virginia. It’s more lucrative for cab drivers to make frequent short trips around the District than to make a longer trip to Virginia, only to have to drive back to D.C. on unpaid time.

Now add another disincentive for taking Virginia fares. A new fuel surcharge allows D.C. cab drivers to charge an extra $1 per trip, but only for trips inside the District. Trips that start or end in Virginia or Maryland are not subject to the surcharge, which is set to expire on July 25.

We’ve heard reports that some cab drivers have been refusing Virginia fares since the surcharge went into effect on Monday.

Crystal City resident David Hyde says his wife had trouble catching a cab from George Washington University Hospital to their apartment yesterday morning.

“Three different cabs refused to take her after they rolled down the window and heard her destination,” he said. “I assume this is because they don’t get the fuel surcharge for Virginia trips.”

It is against D.C. taxi regulations for a cab driver to refuse a fare due to their destination.

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