LAT: Cabbies Want You to Hail a Cab
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Sharon Bernstein gets the LAT's Column One today to talk about taxis. She writes that the cabbies are plenty ready for the city to change its tune and let them pick up fares wherever. Mostly left out is discussion of the politics that keeps L.A.'s taxi stand system the way it is today.
The topic is particularly relevant to Downtown, where hailing a cab has been heavily promoted as one of the ways to help new residents get from lofts to nightspots without having to get in their car.
Bernstein cites ticketing as the main reason cabbies don't cruise for fares.
[Taxi driver George] Stepanian admits he occasionally picks up a passenger hailing a cab on a quiet street when no one is around but never during rush hour, when no-stopping zones are strictly enforced along many of downtown's busy streets.
"I don't risk it," Stepanian said. "I cannot afford another ticket."
As we discussed back in February (when we also mentioned that Bernstein had a piece coming), it is legal for a taxi to stop and pick up at any parking spot or loading zone, but illegal during no stopping times or at red curb. City officials claim that's state law, and that local rules can't trump it.
While the working group put together this year to look at the issue hasn't returned any real results, it's good to see articles like this one keeping the issue in front of the public.
LAofAnaheim on April 07, 2008, at 02:25PM – #1
Hasn't our wonderful mayor Antonio actually increased the amount of red zones during his term? There seems to be more anti-gridlock than ever before. So, how is this a state issue if the local government keeps adding these parking restrictions. Let's make streets for pedestrians and not highways!
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on April 07, 2008, at 03:35PM – #2
It's not just red zones... Downtown you'd be hard-pressed to find more than a handful of spots that aren't "No Stopping" during peak periods. Some cities simply ignore the double parking laws and allow the taxis to do their thing, but I think we've burned that bridge in L.A. by ticketing taxis for so long. Unless it's law, the drivers aren't likely to believe the city means it.
Urban Bruin on May 16, 2008, at 03:28PM – #3
Looks like the tide is turning for downtown cabbies...let's hope they cap the rate for downtown pickup/drop offs (ie. $2-5 flat rate). If they go with the meter than I doubt it'll really be a hit with tourists and bar hoppers. It once cost us about $8 at 1:30 am to get from Union Station to South Park.
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local&id=6146830