Requests for extra operating permits for taxis denied
The Nevada Taxicab Authority turned down a requests on Tuesday for extra operating permits for three major events in March and April as several dozen drivers turned out for their most vocal protest in months.
However, the three authority board members in attendance approved putting from 90 to 256 extra cabs on the streets during the three-day Electric Daisy Carnival music extravaganza that starts June 21. This marked an upward bump from last year, when officials and cab company owners thought service was too scant in part because of the long distance between the Strip and the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, EDC’s venue.
To a large degree, the debate played out along the same lines as raucous meetings a year ago, when as many as 300 drivers would turn out to argue against the dilution of their incomes. In addition, Yellow Checker Star Transportation, the second-largest cab company, opposed more operating permits, known as medallions, except for EDC, while the other companies argued for them in differing combinations.
Medallions are metal badges that must be carried on a cab in order to legally pick up fare-paying customers.
Company owners ticked off statistics showing that the number of trips each driver handled and the revenue collected during an average shift last year jumped not only during EDC but three other events, the opening weekend of the March Madness college basketball tournament, the National Association of Broadcasters convention and the NASCAR races.
Desert Cab owner George Balaban also portrayed more cabs as creating income-earning opportunities for more drivers than usual.
But many drivers also see the extra medallions as diluting their chance for a big payday. Driver Sarah Hall displayed several of her bi-weekly paychecks totaling between $400 and $600, not including tips. “Think about it, could you live on these paychecks?” she asked the authority members.
Contact reporter Tim O’Reiley at
toreiley@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290.