Getting a cab in Mountain View is not difficult, and judging by the overabundance of yellow and orange sedans hanging out near the train depot, the ones we have are not overly busy.
That’s why we’re unhappy with the City Council’s intention to open the local taxi business to “the free market.” The proposal means, in part, that police inspections of cabs and background checks on taxi drivers would be dropped, and as far as we know, no other agency would assume that responsibility.
In addition, the current regulation limiting to 34 the total number of cabs allowed to operate in the city at any one time would be scrapped, opening the already slow business to even more competitors.
At present, only Checker and Yellow Cab are permitted to work in the city. And although it is informal, the two appear to have a workable system to take turns picking up passengers who arrive by train at the downtown stop. Larry Silva, owner of Checker, said the without such a system some cabbies might engage in fights over fares, as happened not long ago at San Jose Airport.
Last week’s proposal stems from a Police Department attempt to reduce its budget, and although no exact savings estimate was offered, obviously taking sworn officers off of any job would help balance the books. The Police Department can’t be blamed for getting creative during the current budget squeeze.
It’s also easy to see why council members are grasping at ways to save even a modest amount of money. But there are other factors to consider if the city adopts the ideas floated last week, the first and most obvious being reduced safety if Mountain View’s cabs and drivers are no longer vetted.
If money is the main concern, the council might consider increasing the franchise fee from the current $114 a year to $500 — a fee which one outside cab company, hoping to break into the market here, said it would gladly pay. The additional revenue could be used to cover the Police Department’s expenses.
Another way to save money on inspections might be to have lower-paid employees to do the job — or, better yet, give local auto repair shops an opportunity to bid on conducting the inspections. By doing so, the city would bring the free market into the process while still maintaining cab safety.
We understand the philosophical reasons for wanting to take the city out of the taxi oversight business. But the present system has been in place for some time and is not broken. We hope the council does not lose sight of its primary responsibility: to protect the health and safety of Mountain View residents.
