Will 45 New Taxi Permits Make a Difference To Passengers? Or Drivers?
KUT 90.5 | By Wells Dunbar, Texas Standard
Published February 10, 2012 at 1:59 PM CST
Graphic by KUT News
Even with additional permits, Austin Cab and Lone Star Cab permits are greatly outnumbered by Yellow Cab.
More taxicabs may be hitting Austin's streets, but not anytime soon.
Last night, the City Council approved additional permits for cab companies: 30 for Lone Star Cab (which would bring its total to 88), and 15 for Austin Cab (bringing it to 177).
However, the approvals were on first reading only; council must approve the change on three readings, which may occur concurrently. And even then, it takes 60 days for the permits to take effect.
As shown above, should Lone Star and Austin Cab receive the additional permits, their numbers will still be eclipsed by Yellow Cab, which controls 455 permits: so many, in fact, it's technically prohibited by city ordinance, which states a company may not possess more than 60 percent of the city's permits.
Council member Mike Martinez spoke to Yellow Cab's position last night:
"This council also sees that we don't necessarily fit this industry into existing parameters. For example, the existing franchises say that Yellow Cab should not have more than 60 percent of all the permits issued, but yet they do, but yet this council doesn't act to dissolve their franchise that they are in violation of because they are a good business. They do good business. And yes, they are a little bit above 60 percent. But technically for those of us that have asked for us to stick to the formula or stick to the rules, we would have to shut down a major cab company in this town providing hundreds of jobs and thousands of trips."
Several taxi items came before council yesterday, but the permitting discussion was the most contentious. Some drivers protested that granting the new permits would make it harder for already-employed drivers to make a living. A study the city commissioned last year countered that more taxis are needed on the streets during peak events like South by Southwest and the Austin City Limits festival. And the city council, given the authority to issue permits and authorize franchises, often finds itself torn between improving service for passengers and working conditions for drivers – hence compromises like the recently passed peak surcharge fee, which they hope will give drivers an incentive to operate during high demand periods in exchange for a slight uptick in fares.
Council is considering adding a total of 75 new taxi permits. Should the above 45 permits be awarded soon, council may discuss adding an additional 35 permits this summer.
TransportationAustinTaxisTransportationAustin City Council
Wells Dunbar, Texas Standard
Wells has been a part of KUT News since 2012, when he was hired as the station's first online reporter. He's currently the social media host and producer for Texas Standard, KUT's flagship news program. In between those gigs, he served as online editor for KUT, covering news in Austin, Central Texas and beyond.
See stories by Wells Dunbar, Texas Standard
New Cab Fees Coming to Council
Here's another reason not to over-imbibe: If you get sick in a taxi on the way back from Sixth Street, you could get hit with a $100 dollar fine.That…
City Council Preview: Electric Rates, Weekend Rail, Plus Bags and the Taxi Vomit Fee Returns
The Austin City Council convenes again today, considering a heady, 61-item agenda. If this weekly preview is beginning to sound like a broken record,…