Think you've got it bad with gas prices rising?

Before you start complaining about how bad prices are (and believe me, I am one of the worste), think about those whose livelyhoods depend solely on transportation: Airlines, Trucking Companies, Greyhound, UPS, and FedEx might come to mind right off the bat when you think about it. But what about those on the smaller scale, such as cab drivers?
According to this article, taxi drivers across the nation are asking regulators to authorize increases in taxi fairs in order to combat rising fuel costs. These appeals began about a month ago, but have been intensified since the disaster left by Hurricane Katrina. Unlike airliners or busliners, taxi fairs are set by the government in most places. That is why taxi drivers are asking for either a rate hike or surcharge to be put in place. Regulators are hesitant to increase any fairs or add any charges though until gas prices stabilize... but I think that with gas prices hovering around $3 on the national level ($2.89 has been the best I have seen in Marietta recently), something should be done. So the next time you get that ever-valuable ride home from your favorite bar, feel free to tip the cabby a little extra... I am sure he or she will really appreciate it.