(KCPW News) Local taxi companies are fighting to be able to continue to pick up passengers at Salt Lake City International Airport. Yellow Cab owner Don Barron is against a new policy passed in 2010 by the city council that requires a taxi company to win a contract in order to work there. Barron notes that local companies like his put in bids, but lost to out-of-state providers.
“Buy Utah first? They’re not doing that,” he tells KCPW. “They’re buying who will pay the most money, which is in this case nice for the city but pretty poor for the customers and the cab drivers.”
Salt Lake City Council Chair Jill Remington-Love says the city has been looking for a way to improve cab service in the capital city for years, and it’s the council’s hope that many local drivers will be hired by the outside companies.
“We felt a frustration that our taxi service in Salt Lake City was inadequate, that when you wanted to hail a cab, you couldn’t, that when you maybe were in a cab you were treated in a way that was discourteous, or the cab was run-down,” she explains. “We felt like there was always a line of cabs at the airport but maybe not at our taxi stands.”
Yellow Cab has filed a lawsuit against Salt Lake City, hoping to postpone the two out of state firms from beginning taxi service at the airport at the end of November.
How do you feel about this topic?
Is there anything else you think we should know? We'd like to hear your thoughts. Send us your feedback using the form below.
