Salt Lake City has a different idea

Salt Lake City wants to lower the number of taxi's not raise them, why can't Tampa and other city's see the light.

I read between 5 and 10 newspaper stories per day from city's around the world about city's that want to increase the number of taxi's.

The reason is they are under pressure from from the riding public who think more taxi's = better service, which is wrong because no matter how many cab's there are some area's just will not get good service.

From the Salt Lake Tribune


On Tuesday night, residents can comment on a proposal that would put contracts out to bid for taxi service and cut the number of cabs in Salt Lake City by 25 percent to help prop up drivers' incomes.

In addition, a formula would determine fare rates, rather than the City Council. Drivers would be required to accept debit and credit cards. And the city would drop special permits for taxi service, instead awarding two to four companies contracts.

If the city adopts the proposal, the administration will seek to cut the number of cabs from 268 to 210, according to a report issued to the council.

"People needing to go someplace at night, say to the hospital or from a bar, will suffer if the number of taxicabs is cut," said Don Barron, director with Yellow Cab Drivers Association, which has operated in Salt Lake City since 1932.

Currently, the city has given 145 permits to Yellow Cab, 78 permits to Ute Cab and 45to City Cab. If the number of cabs is reduced to 210, the number of permits would be at the same level as 1999.

The taxi industry contends it must compete with transportation companies operating some 464 limousines, vans and SUVs in the city. The report to the council indicated that courtesy vehicles offered by hotels, resorts and other businesses now outnumber the amount of cab trips by more than 2-to-1.

Other forms of transportation, including a planned light-rail line to Salt Lake City International

Airport, could slice into taxi incomes even more. Many drivers said they worked 14 to 16 hours a day while earning less than the minimum wage when all their hours of waiting time were taken into consideration, according to a Ground Transportation Study for the city.

Drivers also have complained that illegal cab operators are taking the most profitable routes. Illegal cabs are charging $25 to $30 for each trip from the airport to downtown while regulated cab drivers charge $17 for the same trip. Drivers estimated the number of illegal cabs at 186 to 195. But the city's research analyst Russell Weeks disputed the figure, saying most were licensed ground-transportation businesses.

In August, the council approved a fare increase, the fourth taxi-rate boost since 2005. Currently the per-mile rate for cabs is $2.20, up from $2 per mile.