

File: A line of taxi cabs wait for passengers at Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post)

Taxi cab drivers are expected to protest at Friday Union Station, an action that could potentially create traffic delays.

Starting around 10 a.m. or 10:30 a.m., union leaders said, they expect “a couple hundred cars” to drive around Columbus Circle in front of Union Station. The event is expected to last until noon, organizers said.

“It is not meant to disturb but to demonstrate that we are an essential part of the city,” said Royale Simms, a union leader for Local 922 — which represents about 2,000 taxi cab drivers.

The drivers held a similar protest last week. That caused some traffic delays in the downtown area as a caravan of taxis traveled from Haines Point to Freedom Plaza at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue — outside the Wilson building around lunch time.

The taxi drivers had said they were protesting legislation on ride-sharing services such as UberX, sponsored by D.C. Council members Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) and David Grosso (I-At Large), which they say creates a two-tier system. The legislation received initial approval from the council Tuesday and will likely go back to the council for a final vote later this month.

For more transportation related news, click here.