Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
StumbleTaxi industry opposes proposal for flat rates
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 | 6:49 p.m.
Sun archives
Representatives of Southern Nevada’s taxicab industry today rejected a proposal from the Nevada Taxicab Authority to set cab fares at a flat rate of $20 from McCarran International Airport to the Strip.
The flat-rate proposal was developed as a means of preventing long-hauling, the illegal practice of driving passengers on a longer and more expensive route to their destinations.
There are differing opinions about how rampant the practice has become, but most often it involves drivers delivering passengers to the Strip by way of the airport tunnel.
Trips by way of the tunnel can cost a customer $10 to $20 more than a more direct route, but meters also calculate “wait time” when a cab is crawling through traffic, which could make a direct route more expensive.
At a workshop meeting this morning, industry leaders countered the flat-rate proposal with a plan to keep existing metered rates, increase the penalty for long-hauling, requiring internal disciplinary measures at cab companies and displaying a rate card listing the approximate fares customers can expect.
The industry also proposed the posting of a customer “bill of rights” in every cab.
Jonathan Schwartz, a director for Yellow Checker Star, the city’s largest cab company, said most of Southern Nevada’s cab companies back keeping the metered rates and beefing up disciplinary enforcement on long-hauling.
He said the implementation of a flat rate in Cleveland failed because companies and regulators couldn’t agree upon rates that would be profitable for the cab companies and drivers avoided serving customers on short routes that paid less.
Taxicab Authority Administrator Gordon Walker said he hasn’t reached a conclusion on how to proceed on the flat-rate proposal after the two-hour meeting. He said he may refine the proposal further, possibly introducing zoned pricing and conducting another meeting later this year.
He said his agency would continue to battle against long-hauling, citing suspected drivers and using undercover passengers to find violators.
While representatives of the cab companies generally favored keeping metered rates, drivers attending the meeting were split on whether metered rates or flat rates would be better for them. Some believe they would get fewer tips under a flat-rate system.
Drivers also complained that they are under pressure from their managers to generate more revenue and turn to long-hauling customers as a way to boost profits.
How often does long-hauling occur?
Taxicab Authority officials said they received 836 long-hauling complaints and issued more than 200 citations to drivers last year. Authority officials estimate there were 5.6 million trips between the airport and Strip resorts during that time frame.
But some critics say the practice is even more rampant because customers who have been cheated are more interested in getting to their destination and don’t want to spend the time filling out the complaint paperwork.
Walker, who has a small enforcement staff, is considering stiffer penalties for drivers caught long-hauling — $500 for the first offense, $1,000 and a suspension for the second and a driver termination for the third.
He said the Taxicab Authority is working on a computerized flagging system that would prevent drivers caught long-hauling from getting licensed for a job at another company.
Drivers also recommended that the cab companies share the responsibility and be disciplined when long-hauling occurs.
If a flat rate isn’t adopted, Walker said, efforts are being made to educate tourists about how much a typical cab ride should cost so they can file a complaint if they feel they have been cheated. He said approximate fares would be posted at the airport and at some resorts.
Typical fares from the airport to the Strip, without wait time, run from $13.26 to the Tropicana to $16.33 to the Sahara. Fares to downtown Las Vegas properties average about $21.33 a trip.
Yellow Checker Star’s Schwartz also proposed posting a rate card in the rear seat of every taxi. His “passenger bill of rights” suggests listing that a driver is not permitted to take a longer route unless specifically requested to do so by the passenger, that passengers should expect a safe and courteous driver who obeys all traffic laws, clean air and a smoke-free environment, and a driver who doesn’t use a cell phone while driving.
The posting also says air conditioning or heat and a receipt should be provided upon request, that any passenger 18 or older should use a seatbelt and that passengers should use curbside doors when exiting a cab.
The posting also would include a lost-and-found telephone number and address of the cab company as well as the number of the Taxicab Authority.
Discussion: comments so far…
Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy. Additionally, we now display comments from trusted commenters by default. Those wishing to become a trusted commenter need to verify their identity or sign in with Facebook Connect to tie their Facebook account to their Las Vegas Sun account. For more on this change, read our story about how it works and why we did it.
Only trusted comments are displayed on this page. Untrusted comments have expired from this story.
No trusted comments have been posted.
Post a comment
Most Popular
- Viewed
- Discussed
- E-mailed
- Superstar Whitney Houston dies at 48
- Two dead after accident in downtown Las Vegas
- Instant Analysis: Debating whether UNLV should continue series with San Diego State
- Police looking for man in white Ford Explorer
- Dining Guide: 2012 Valentine’s Day options in Las Vegas
- Color from the scene at Thomas & Mack Center: We have a wire job! Rebels win, and Louie Armstrong sings!
- Four people injured in car accident
- UNLV can move forward without the burden of losing streak to San Diego State
- Blog: Justin Hawkins’ steal seals UNLV’s thrilling 65-63 victory against San Diego State
- UNLV makes key plays down stretch to hold off San Diego State 65-63
Blogs
The Kats Report
Color from scene at Thomas & Mack: We have a wire job! Rebels win, and Louie Armstrong sings!
South Point owner Michael Gaughan's take on 'Vegas Stripped': 'I'll give it an 8' (4 Comments)
Author relishes writing the life story of ‘larger-than-life’ Oscar Goodman (3 Comments)
Elsewhere
Landowner: All roads could lead to Uxbridge casino
Revel reveals smoke-free casino opening
Cirque du Soleil show in Sands China casino to close this month
Meet the woman behind Sheldon Adelson
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Having once driven a hack many, many moons ago, I would bet that 25% or more of all trips had some form of long haul or other meter-jacking involved.
The cabs in Vegas are more expensive than NYC. I'll stick with the $6 shuttles.
Why doesn't the RTC have a bus that goes to and from the airport to the Strip?
Wow, 200 citations last year. Just compare that with the the 10 0r 20 cabs that you can see at any one time on I-215 between the tunnel and I-15, and you wonder why this is a problem.
"meters also calculate "wait time" when a cab is crawling through traffic, which could make a direct route more expensive."
I'm sorry, what? If I'm in a taxi, it isn't waiting. There is a fare inside the cab, and the cab is on a trip. I don't expect to get charged for "waiting" unless I've called for a cab, and I'm not there yet, or I've left the cab and requested the cab remain. Anything else is the driver's cost of doing business.
What is really needed here in Las Vegas is relief for locals who need a cab to or from the airport. I was quoted $90 to $100 for a taxi from the airport to my home just off Cheyenne and the 215 on the west side, about a 20 mile distance. We need to have the super shuttle vans like other cities to get locals to and from the airport. Taxis are an impossible price. It costs me more to get to and from the airport than to fly from here to the east coast. County commissioners, are you listening. Help the locals please.
First, the wait time is when the meter "senses" the cab going below 14 miles an hour. That's when the time kicks in while the cab is still moving. Second, the TA needs to patrol the tunnel more often and stop educating the drivers on how to rip off passengers. I used to be a driver, and it used to make me angry when the TA did this. I hate long-haulers, and it needs to stop. I'm all for getting back at these rip-off artists. Jerks.
Allen,
Yes, you are charged for "wait" time even when you are in the cab if the meter calculates that you are moving more slowly than a minimum speed that will cover the basic unit of distance in a certain amount of time. Along with mileage rates, taxis also post a waiting rate. That rate ALWAYS kicks in when the cab is moving too slow.
Why do you think cabs never seem to beat a yellow light? It is a very effective form of meter-jacking that almost no one knows about. It also explains why some cabbies throw the meter as fast as possible when you are entering the cab, and leave it on as long as possible when you exit and they get your bags from the trunk.
A flat rate from the airport to the strip between the stratosphere to Mandalay Bay should be used. If tourist start getting smart, they will use the shuttle service to their desired hotel, and the taxi services will begin to drop. Plus, I wish that the taxi drivers that go the long way to their customers desitnation would stop doing that and do what is right. It is called doing what it right, those that it concerns to, try and use it now...
It's about 3 f-ing miles from the airport to MGM exiting the airport on Swenson and turning left on Tropicana. Yeah, there's some traffic now and then, but to justify taking the tunnel? Come on now.
Talk about taking advantage of people. Welcome to Las Vegas -- your first experience right off the plane is getting bent over on the cab ride.
Solution: Flat rate all rides to and from the airport. At least people will not get screwed coming and going. Everything else can be the meter.
Don't these cabbies make enough from the strip club / night club kickbacks anyway? Not to mention screwing people taking cabs back and forth from DT to the Strip. Talk about long hauling people, that's where all the abuse goes on.
I will be discussing this matter on my blog in the near future. Enough is enough with this blatant scamming of people who take cabs to and from the airport.
http://jimmyhoofa-lv.blogspot.com/
"This is the end result of all the bright lights... and the comp trips, of all the champagne... and free hotel suites, and all the broads and all the booze. It's all been arranged just for us to get your money. That's the truth about Las Vegas. We're the only winners. The players don't stand a chance. "
-- Sam "Ace" Rothstein, Casino, 1995
The companys need to patrol the drivers, trips, this will lower the high bookers, when its the same driver every day 100 or so over the rest of the drivers, come on companys do something about it, or are you looking at losing money
requiring internal disciplinary measures at cab companies.
That's funny right there "we will keep it in house, honest we will" Wink Wink.
No need for that governing body no we will take care of it.
I like cab drivers that can speak english..unfortunately they are a disappearing entity in this city..
Why just focus on the drivers for long-haul violations? If a driver in caught and has to pay a fine for a violation, let's make sure that the taxi company has to take a vehicle out of service at the same time. That would put a stop most violations in short order.
busylocal is right on. I am a veteran and my healthcare comes through the Veterans Administration. Two years ago I had to fly to Los Angeles for a procedure. The VA purchased a round trip ticket on Southwest Airlines and gave me two vouchers to use for taxis from my home to the airport and back. I live in the same area as does busylocal. The cost of the round trip airplane ticket was $85.00. The cost of the two taxi vouchers was $145.00.
Here's the REAL problem:.......The CAB owners have a MONOPOLY granted to them by the legislature......Try going into business to compete with these companies....It CAN'T be done........
First thing that needs to happen is the REPEAL of the monopoly statutes which grant 6 or 7 entities the right to OWN all the business in LV.
The second thing that needs to happen is the dissolution of the Taxicab Authority. Put taxis under the jurisdiction of Metro.
Try getting any legislator to propose this.......they will laugh in your face.....they are all bought and paid for with donations from the taxi companies.
We live in Ireland. We got longhauled regularly as cabs think everyone is a sucker. I did contact the taxi authority in Vegas and their first question is how long will you be in Vegas so one goes away and problem also gone. I wrote to Oscar Goodman twice and never a reply by mail or email. I deliberately wrote letters as emails easily deleted. Some drivers get agressive when one complains. Just do a survey of people flying out of Vegas and ask them their experiences
HA!
As soon as they put the monorail to the airport (which has been approved BTW, going by UNLV), the Taxi crooks can bite me.
morons!
if a good long hauler sells the tunnel, or simply just tunnels most rides to the hotels by taking the proper exit off the freeway.........
10 rides at 25 a piece = 250.
10 rides at a flat rate of 22=220
if there are say 20 cabs on a shift, id say 6 are constant crooks, and 6 more are "salespeople"
a salesperson gets say 7 out of 10 rides to be tunneled. thats 175 in tunnel rides and 220 total based on 15 dollars average airport ride.
the 6 constant crooks are doing 250. a 30 dollar difference.
the remaining 8 that refuse to tunnel unless requested by the passenger is going to book about 150. thats 100 less than the constant crook and 25 less than that salesman.
8 non crooks = 1200 book
6 salesman = 1320 book
6 crooks = 1500
shift total of = 4020
if 20 cabs did 10 rides each on a flat rate of 22bucks.....
thats 220 per cab times 20 cabs = 4400 for that shift.
so, which one is better? flat rate easily trumps long haulers any day of the week.
if i book 100 in small rides on a sunday before the airport people start coming out in the morning....do a total of 15 more rides the rest of the day and 8 of them are port runs and the other 7 are short hopping stuff at say 9.50 per ride id get.....
100 prior book + 176 for the port runs + 66.50 hopping = 342. which is a good day, unless you work for desert and if you dont do at least 400 on a sunday you get a call in on monday.
so, flat rate=same or better book. if someone only gets rides to monte carlo or mgm all day they wont book as high. and its not exactly easy to long haul to mgm or hard rock. so 22 bucks to hard rock and mgm all day would benefit a customer. what about those dumb drivers that live at the mgm all the time...22 dollar rides is better than 9.90 to the port.
maybe these companies should wake up.
long hauling was exposed, TA says fine....pop a bandaid on the whole situation and lets make drivers criminals if they get nabbed trying to sell the tunnel to keep their jobs. i know one driver that got a ticket from downtown going onto the 95 by metro for longhauling......to the texas station. dirtbag cop never investigated to see where they were going. lets solve the situation by not doing bandaids and by solving the problem. companies would benefit by allowing a flat rate. numbers above show it.
for those of you that complain about cab rates because of where you live, i have this to say.
1. you chose to live so far away.
2. you can use your own vehicle to get to the airport and pay a fee to park you car, that is less than a cab ride!
3. you can always ask a friend, family member, or neighbor, offer them 30 bucks for gas and be ahead of the game and be done with the cab.
you people that whine about cabs being so expensive have no argument. there are busses, senior transport, friends, family, etc. to those that rely on cabs for your 2/10th of a mile ride to smiths are just a waste of resources for a cab driver.
TA is sleeping with the companies. literally. walker is a scumbag.
at least your taxpayer money does not fund the TA...as the TA is a self funded agency that probably has a surplus every year, and also has not been audited in over 5 years.
the companies and the TA rather screw over hardworking people in an industry that has a high turnover rate as it is instead of fixing the problems.
typical vegas corruption. its so obvious i dont know how it hasnt even been investigated by the state yet, oh yea, its not typical vegas corruption its typical nevada corruption!
btw, the TA is only in clark county, not in reno......hmmm...so why is a state agency only operating in one place?
and the sun is wrong, its not 10-20 bucks more by taking the freeway, its about 6-10 more.
So will this end those rides between the airport and MGM via Rainbow Blvd, Nellis Ave, Craig Road, etc!
Tow truck operators charging by the mile are just as bad, maybe even worse, because they can hold your car hostage until you pay.
Driver performance needs to be evaluated not only by the gross amount that a cabbie books but by the number of trips. For instance, if a driver is within 15% of average in trips during the course of one month for his or her shift, a company would have no cause to terminate for low performance.
Keeping close to the average in trips is one indication that the driver is, in fact, out there working to get rides. This protects the honest drivers. In an industry that's become so heavily regulated, this provision should be one that the Taxicab Authority could mandate.
Don't be surprised if the long hauling decreases and we have a much happier cabbing public, with a lot of drivers wanting to do right by their passengers feeling more secure in their position.
Gasp! More regulation? Doesn't the "free market" dictate that if you are ignorant of the best routes then you deserve to get suckered? Isn't the theory here that if cheating customers is bad, somehow those drivers and companies who do it will mysteriously go out of business? These same people are probably the same ones who want affordable health care.
I always use the hotel shuttle in whatever city.It comes at a very cheap rate.Granted you are on a time schedule and it may mean getting to the airport a extra hour early,but big deal.