DC Council Member Proposes $2 Rideshare Fee for Downtown DC Trips

Uber and Lyft rides in downtown Washington, D.C., could get more expensive if the D.C. Council approves a proposed fee.

Council Member Brianne Nadeau is leading an effort to add a $2 fee to rideshare trips. She said the money would go toward expanding late-night Metrobus routes.

"The goal is to create less traffic in our communities," Nadeau said. "This will generate about 10 million dollars in the first year, which will only cover the overnight bus."

"I think it’s a terrible idea," D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said.

In recent months, Bowser has proposed a comeback plan for downtown that includes bringing 15,000 new residents to downtown over the next five years.

"Any effort to attack the downtown, taking capital dollars out, or actually charging people to come downtown extra is, is the antithesis to a comeback, to an investment in the comeback of downtown," Bowser said.

Nadeau's plan would tack on the fee for rides in the Central Business District and other parts of the city, including the Wharf.

Riders would be charged $2 for rides entering the central business district 7 a.m. to noon and exiting the area 12 p.m. and 7 p.m.

"Prioritizing vehicles over access to transportation means we've got pollution, we've got noise, we've got congestion and that’s not inviting and that's not what we want for the future of downtown," Nadeau said.

The fee doesn't apply to other for-hire vehicles such as taxis or Uber Eats.

The D.C. Council is expected to vote on the proposal as part of its budget process in May.

"When D.C. riders look at their Uber receipts today, they see a substantial amount in fees which include a 6% fee on each ride to pay for WMATA and a $5 fee to get to and from the region’s airports. Adding an additional $2 fee on top of today’s current fees will not reduce congestion," a spokesperson for Uber told News4.