High fuel prices prompt increase in taxicab rates

Wednesday, April 27, 2005 | 9:47 a.m.

Rising fuel prices have resulted in an increase in taxi rates in Southern Nevada.

The Nevada Taxicab Authority on Tuesday approved a temporary fuel surcharge of 20 cents a mile on cab rides, raising the cost from $1.80 a mile to $2.

In addition, the authority board cemented the cab "drop rate" -- the initial fee customers pay when they get into the vehicle -- at $3.20. The board had approved a temporary $3.20 drop rate to compensate the county's 16 cab companies for higher fuel costs in November. Prior to that increase, the rate had been $3.

The new mileage rate will be implemented from May 1-20 on the county's 1,500 cabs with an equal percentage of vehicles from each company going through the transition over the three-week period.

In other business, the authority received an update on the status of its regulations requiring companies to install cameras in cabs as a driver safety measure.

A legislative committee in January sidetracked the board's proposed rules to install cameras in cabs because of privacy concerns regarding the audio taping of passengers. By holding onto the proposed regulation, the committee turned the matter over to lawmakers who needed to approve legislation in the current session to modify the board's rules.

Taxicab Authority Administrator Yvette Moore said Tuesday that there have been no bills submitted relating to cameras in cabs. She added that one piece of legislation related to taxis -- Senate Bill 243, which limits the length of service a cab can operate to 67 months -- could be amended to include a camera provision, since the deadline has passed to introduce new legislation.

If nothing is approved by the Legislature, the Taxicab Authority's camera rules would take effect around July 1.

Moore said the board would have to modify the regulation, since the existing rules place an April 1 deadline on camera installations. She said she expects the rules would be altered to place an Oct. 1 deadline on installations.