Rachel Guttman, special to wtop.com

WASHINGTON – As the record-breaking heat wave continues, people taking taxis expect the cabs to be air-conditioned.

And Ron Linton, chairman of the D.C. Taxicab Commission, says they should.

“The regulations require that the passenger may request air conditioning be put on if it’s not on when they get in the cab,” Linton tells WTOP.

In the District of Columbia, cab drivers are required by law to turn on their air conditioning upon request from May 15 to Oct. 15 regardless of the temperature, according to Sharon McInnis, licensing and enforcement officer for the D.C. Taxicab Commission.

Maryland and Virginia also follow similar regulations. If riders get into a cab and the air conditioning isn’t on, they should ask the driver to put it on.

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