By: Las Vegas Now Staff
The soaring cost of gas will be just one issue taxi drivers will protest Tuesday morning on the Strip. The rally comes on the heels of the Nevada Taxicab Authority raising rates and tacking a new fuel surcharge onto fares.
Thousands of union members are expected to hold a sidewalk rally between Paris and Bally's. Union drivers want a new contract and all drivers, union or not, want some relief at the pump. Driving around town all day has gotten pretty expensive.
“With gas over $4.00 a gallon, it does take money out of my pocket,” said driver Frederick Delk.
Married with three kids, Delk says the pain at the pump has become unbearable, “When I don't have customers, I just try to sweat it out. I don't use the air at all.”
Regular gas in Las Vegas has climbed to an agonizing average of $4.26 a gallon. But cab fares haven't gone up, until now. Starting Sunday, a taxi ride will cost 45 cents more per mile. Plus, you'll be hit with a 25 cent per mile fuel surcharge.
“It will help the paychecks a little bit, but in the long run, it's not good for the customer either. People won't take the cabs the way they used to,” said driver Stan Milano.
Tourist Bob Kos didn't cab it today. He got around town on a shuttle bus, “That's high and people are going to have to take it because of the fact that everybody's paying higher for prices on gas.”
While everyone is feeling fueling frustrations, people like Frederick have no choice but to drive on, “Things are getting pretty bad.”
The fuel surcharge can be lifted if the price of gasoline drops below $4.00 a gallon for 20 days in a row.
Another way to look at this increase — an average four mile trip that used to cost $12.85 will go up to $14.65. That starts Sunday and the cab driver rally with the Steelworkers Union starts Tuesday at 8 a.m.
Email your comments to Reporter Aaron Drawhorn
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Comment by john kalantary — July 7, 2008 @ 4:25 am