Taxi Surge Pricing for March Madness

Greed. Who gets the $10? Driver or taxi co? If I had to take a taxi I would tell them take the tip out of the $10 increase. Crazy.

 

Because the driver has any control over that?

 

so driver gets none of it?

 

From what I could find:

So an owner/operator cab would get the fee, but for most who are commissioned, they would get a % of it like they do with any other fare. Either way, it's not as though the cabbies can opt out of this, it's the taxicab commission instituting the fee.

 

I mean, F1 I somewhat got. Superbowl (in Vegas) I somehow got. But March Madness? a recurring thing every year for decades? Just corporate greed. So next Superbowl trip, even if it is not in Vegas they'll tack that $10 on too? What is next? "Raiders home game, sorry, $10".This is how you get out of business, taxi companies. People are stupid, but not THAT stupid...

 

Uber and lyft have surge pricing. More people. More traffic. People keep paying it. Inflation keeps rising they need to pay their bills also.

 

That should all be accounted for in the base rate, though. The idea of special event pricing is that it's to specifically account for traffic effects for that specific event. From what it seems like (I'm not there,) there isn't anything particularly unusual about traffic this week - certainly not enough to justify a 30-50% surcharge over the fixed rates from the airport to the strip!

If they're going to go the way of having special event pricing, at minimum the calendar should be published well in advance and the number of events should be quite limited. There's no reason they couldn't have these dates announced three, or even six months in advance. The dates are well-known and it builds transparency for what people will pay - something that should be an advantage for taxis over ridehail. But right now they're throwing that selling point away for a quick cash grab.

While they're at it, they need to get rid of the credit card surcharge, or make it a flat 3-4%. $3 on a $21 fare is well above their cost and what almost any business charges for a credit card surcharge.

 

Maybe this will help push adding mass transit/rail from the airport.

Maybe it will no longer be economically viable for cabs unless they charge $40 or $50.

 

You had it right in the part I quoted in bold.

Accepting credit cards as a normal form of payment is just part of doing business. A surcharge is just ridiculous and a form of price gouging. And another of many reasons taxis have lost a large percentage of their business to ride share.

 

After surge pricing for Superbowl, I told the boys that this was gonna start becoming a regular thing. And here we are.

 

When I was in Vegas for Superbowl the traffic as normal for a Friday night arrival and the roads were practically bare going to the airport for a 1:30 flight. As you said, in no way did it justify the 30-50% surge charging as you mentioned. And I don't give two f+cks about what anyone says about "the pricing no being the cabbies fault". I am a generous tipper but enough is enough. Sometimes a line in the sand needs to be drawn instead of us unwashed masses submitting to relentless reach into our pockets. That surcharge was the tip and if the cabbies were losing money, they need to bring it up with their bosses to effect a change.

 

I was there doing the Super Bowl also. It was bumper to bumper traffic. People were 10 deep waiting for cabs. Businesses can only absorb inflation so much before it’s passed down to the consumer. Eventually, people will not use the services but as we can see Vegas is doing well. You can read reports how savings rates are down. Credit card usage is up and retirement hardship withdrawals are at a high.

 

I should clarify, at times, Vegas traffic was as bad as I had ever seen it. Just not when I arrived on Friday and not when I left on Monday.

When we were leaving Mandalay Bay after the NFL Experience, traffic was insane.

 

Just do a surcharge for weekends and peak evening hours.

 

This is why I have started doing rental cars. Not only does it give me the freedom to come and go as I please but doesnt make me feel like a sap for paying the ridiculous taxi prices. For the last week in May I reserved a car from Budget at the airport from Sunday until Friday for $210 using the Costco site. I figured I would be paying $30 in cab far each way so I am only paying $150 for the week. I also like having car as I eat almost every meal off-strip as it is so much cheaper.