Bill would juggle roles of transportation regulators

Tuesday, April 27, 1999 | 10:37 a.m.

State workers are anxiously awaiting word of what their roles will be following debate on a bill in the Legislature that would redefine the regulation of transportation in Nevada.

Transportation Services Authority and Taxicab Authority administrators are analyzing the impact of an amendment to a bill in committee that would redefine the TSA and the Taxicab Authority of Nevada.

Both of the agencies -- and companies that would be regulated by the new rules -- have concerns about some of the details of the bill.

Presently, the three-member TSA oversees regulation of buses, limousines, towing companies, moving companies and taxis not operating in Clark County. The five-member Taxicab Authority oversees 1,200 taxis and 3,500 drivers in the state's most populated county.

Under an amended version of Senate Bill 491, oversight of the transportation industry would change dramatically:

Taxicab authorities would be created for Northern and Southern Nevada. The Northern Nevada TA would have three members and administer activity in Washoe County while the Southern Nevada group would have five full-time commissioners and serve Clark County. They would be responsible for regulation of taxis and limousines in their respective jurisdictions.

Operators would be required to pay $100 per year for each taxi and $500 per year for each limousine they use and a fee of not more than 20 cents per trip.

Presently, taxi operators pay $100 a year and 15 cents per trip. Limousine operators currently pay a one-time $200 application fee for TSA certification. Despite the proposed 20 cent cap, administrators say it's not likely the per-trip fee would be raised above 15 cents in the immediate future.

Because limousines would be under the same statutes as taxis, the Taxicab Authority would be able to limit the number of vehicles a company operates. Currently, the Taxicab Authority evaluates the number of "medallions" issued, sometimes raising the number when a major convention is in town.

The state's other counties would have the option of regulating transportation companies within their boundaries or turning the responsibility over to the authority closest to them.

The TSA would be reduced to a single commissioner who would oversee towing companies operating in the state. The TSA commissioner also would hear any appeals from either of the taxicab authorities.

The bus and moving companies would not be overseen by state agencies. Since most of them operate across state lines, they are already regulated by federal agencies. Moving vans and buses would be required to be inspected by the commercial division of the Nevada Highway Patrol.

The bill, approved by the Senate Finance Committee, was amended in response to criticism by Sen. Bill O'Donnell, R-Las Vegas. The initial version of the bill would have turned the Taxicab Authority's responsibilities over to the TSA. Taxicab companies in Las Vegas had that bill introduced.

Tony Sanchez, attorney for Southern Nevada taxi companies, said the bill was more an effort at consolidating regulation of the two industries than a criticism of the operation of the Taxicab Authority.

Administrators at the two agencies are still studying the 79-page amended bill, but have concerns about some of the details.

Bob Anselmo, administrator of the Taxicab Authority, said the intent of consolidating regulation of the transportation industry is a good idea, but the bill lacks some specifics.

Anselmo said critics of the bill have noted there are no definitions of the various classifications of limousines in operation around the state. Others say members of the Southern Taxicab Authority would be unclassified employees, meaning they would be paid for full-time work.

Presently, the authority board meets once a month to resolve disputes between companies and drivers and annually to make adjustments to tariffs and the number of medallions available.

"What would five board members do full time?" Anselmo asked.

Since the bill limits the term of office, the state may have to find commissioners committed to working full time for the maximum four years, then find replacements.

Meanwhile, TSA Chairman John Mendoza said the staff at his agency is discouraged by what would be a reduced role. Agency administrators are continuing to ask questions and determine their new responsibilities under the bill.

Lyle Clark, general manager of CLS of Las Vegas, which operates limousines in Southern Nevada, said he hasn't studied all the particulars of the amended bill, but doesn't like the prospect of a state agency limiting the number of limousines he can operate.

"Limousines and taxis are a different market entirely," Clark said. "There are times when you could bring 500 more limousines into town and it still wouldn't be enough to handle the demand."

Clark said he would prefer limousines being administered by the TSA, but he suspects the momentum is moving toward placing limousines under the oversight of the a taxicab authority, which could "stunt my growth."

"If my company gets a contract from a property, it may limit my ability to take it still service existing clients," Clark said.