Wednesday, April 8, 1998 | 11:08 a.m.
A proposed lunch-time work slow down among local taxicab drivers during the ongoing National Association of Broadcasters convention is nothing more than smoke and mirrors, according to industry officials.
"Wishful thinking," said Ray Chenoweth, owner of Nellis Cab Co.
"There's no slow down," said Bob Anselmo, taxicab administrator. "There was talk of a free (lunch) buffet at the Rio, but no one showed up. That's when everyone makes the money."
A driver-activist, who called for the work slowdown to protest what he considers to be an over-abundance of taxicabs in Southern Nevada, reacted angrily to these statements.
"I know for a fact that at least 300 drivers didn't load from noon to 1 p.m. (on Monday and Tuesday)," said Al Bola, who heads the nonprofit Las Vegas Taxi Drivers Association. "The reason why nobody noticed is because we're so over-allocated."
But Chenoweth explained that a call for a work slowdown won't be effective because for every driver who avoids a busy stop, there are two or three others that are more than happy to fill in.
"It's the nature of the drivers. They are independent spirits," said the Nellis owner, who added that he stopped by the Rio Tuesday and noticed only two drivers eating lunch at noon.
Indeed, the only drivers reporters could find earlier this week at the Rio during lunch time were seated in their cabs in front of the hotel, and waiting for passengers.
Meanwhile, things are moving along normally at Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas Hilton and the Sands Expo and Convention Center, where the NAB convention continues through Thursday.
Sven Nilsson, president of the nonprofit Professional Drivers Association, said simply: "Some drivers will comply (with the request for the work slowdown) and others will not."
Ruthie Jones, vice president of the local branch of the Maritime Union, which represents 1,600 of the 3,500 local drivers, said it's up to the drivers when they want to take their lunch break.
"Our collective bargaining agreement gives them a right to a lunch break, and we can't tell them when to take it," Jones said.
The lunch-time work slowdown was called by Bola to call attention to what he and some other drivers say is delay on the part of the Taxicab Administrator to remove about 8 percent of the area's nearly 1,200 cabs.
Bola said industry leaders know there are simply too many cabs in Southern Nevada, and it affects the drivers' revenue. He also said his association, which represents about 1,500 of the 3,800 cabbies in Las Vegas, has provided evidence that shows that all the cabs aren't needed on the streets.
Nilsson agreed.
"The Taxicab Authority knows that there is an over-allocation of medallions, but it's been slow to remove some of them," Nilsson said. "The members of the board seem to be dragging their heels."
Drivers contend that because there are too many cabs, they spend a great deal of time waiting for riders at cab stands, or jockeying around in traffic while they search for a legal spot to park.
"The board is very sensitive to the economics of the drivers," Anselmo said. "But the board is also sensitive to the needs of the traveling public, and in the process of balancing the two, someone is likely to get upset."
This week, that someone happens to be Bola, who argued that drivers are being treated "like prisoners" rather than citizens.
"The people running the Taxicab Authority seem to forget that we make their paychecks," said Bola, who noted that the authority is supported by tax dollars, and part of this revenue is funded through fare taxes. "When the police deal with tourists, they treat the tourists with kindliness and respect. That's the way we should be treated."
At issue is a recent workshop conducted by the Taxicab Authority to go over the formula for the number of taxicab medallions that should be allowed among the 13 taxicab companies in Southern Nevada.
The companies are A-North Las Vegas Cab, A Vegas Western Cab, ABC Union Cab, Ace Cab, Checker Cab, Desert Cab, Henderson Taxi, Lucky Cab, Nellis Cab, Star Cab, Western Cab, Whittlesea Blue Cab and Yellow Cab.
Bola said that according to the Taxicab Authority's own calculations on the total number of trips in 1997, there should be a reduction in the number of medallions. Bolla suggests the number should be reduced by nearly eight medallions per company. Other drivers suggest the reduction could be as minimal as three or four per company.
"The point is there are simply too many medallions," said a driver who asked to remain anonymous. "That's the thing we all agree on."
Well, perhaps not everyone.
"If you are a driver, then the ideal situation would be a bunch of people waiting for cabs all over town," Anselmo said. "Then you could make quick runs to the airport."
Anselmo said he believes the problem between the Taxicab Authority and some of the drivers is one of perception.
"It's the old story of whether you believe the glass is half empty or half full," Anselmo said. "Don't misunderstand me, taxicab drivers are never going to get rich. But the situation they face here is certainly better than in many big cities such as New York, Boston or Chicago. How many places do you see in those cities for cabs to park?"
archive
