Las Vegas Sun

November 14, 2009

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Letter: There’s difference between wait and idle time during cab ride

Saturday, Aug. 23, 1997 | 3:29 a.m.

I cabbied in a larger metropolitan area, where regular customers knew to a dime what to expect on daily trips. However, meters occasionally rolled over during the last few feet. Snow storms or traffic congestion didn't affect meters, because they were calibrated for mileage only. The company and drivers absorbed inevitable delays, having good days with bad. Flags were manually placed on "wait" only when passengers requested. Waits could be for a myriad of reasons.

Fares are naturally suspicious of cab drivers. They know mileage is contingent on a driver's honesty and knowledge, but a cab ride should not otherwise be a gambling experience. I have paid from $14.20 to more than $20 for a seven-mile ride to McCarran from Charleston and Valley View, and have driven the distance, via Valley View, Desert Inn and Paradise in 20 minutes. Mileage with a full 20-minute wait and tax would only have been $19.40, but every driver has preferred the longer Sahara to I-15 route.

The word "wait" in Las Vegas parlance is a play on words. It is a misnomer, besides being misleading and deceptive. There is a difference between the true meaning of wait and idle time in traffic and should be defined for public awareness.

L. Helsel

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