Ah, now there's a touchy subject, on a number of fronts, not least that fact that Las Vegas cabbies have been on the warpath in recent years, complaining with regularity of too many taxis on the road and worsening traffic conditions/wait times. It's an ongoing bone of contention that rears its head at least once a year, as the Taxicab Authority attempts to manage a tricky balancing act between servicing passengers and not flooding the market for those earning a living as drivers.
Currently, there are officially 2,410 "medallions" or permits, spread across 16 operators across the Las Vegas Valley, some of which are limited by time, day, and geographic restrictions as to where drivers may pick up from. For example, only 1,737 cabs are permitted to pick up passengers on the Strip and at McCarran International Airport. As an aside, a record was broken at the latter earlier this year during the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show, which saw 17,084 taxis loaded in a single day, smashing the year-old record of 14,495 set on January 5, 2011, also during CES. (Note that during peak times, like CES or major holiday weekends, the number of medallions authorized is sometimes supplemented with additional temporary permits to cater to higher-than-usual demand.)
We say 2,410 is the "official" number, since that recent record is not the only occasion upon which our local cabbies have hit the headlines lately, unfortunately under less happy circumstances, notably for the results of a 2012 audit. Among this report's findings was the revelation that a number of medallions which were reported as "missing" -- and, as a result, were reissued -- turned out not to be lost at all, meaning companies were operating more cabs than their official allocation permitted. This might not sound particularly significant, but in light of the audit's calculation that each medallion generates $190,000 a year in revenues for the company that holds it, you can see why they're such hot property. In one of 18 such instances uncovered by the review, a company was found to have held the replacement medallion for no less than 14 months before returning it.
Another finding exposed by the audit hit national headlines, with news that in 2012 alone, cabbies running up the meter by taking the scenic route to and from the airport -- the infamous so-called "long haul" tactic -- cost nearly 1.5 million fares an estimated $14.8 million. Ouch. To put it another way, about one in four rides from the airport was allegedly being ripped off by their driver.
In light of such negative publicity, the Taxicab Authority has made efforts to clean up its act, and we have to say that our interactions with the press representative have been refreshingly candid and helpful, so hopefully things are getting better (see QoD 4/12/13 and 4/24/13 as examples, in which you'll also find helpful information with regard to what to do if you have a bad experience or feel you've been ripped off).
