Cab Company Requests 18% Fare Increase

Saying it is faced with rising maintenance, labor and insurance costs, one of the largest taxicab companies in Orange County wants to raise fares 18% in the 12 cities it serves.

Orange Coast Yellow Cab, which has more than 100 taxis, has proposed increasing the charge for the first mile from $3.10 to $3.30, and raising the rate for each additional mile from $1.40 to $1.60. The company has also proposed raising the hourly waiting fee from $15 to $20.

By the proposed rates, the cost of taking a cab from the Newporter Inn in Newport Beach to John Wayne Airport, for example, would rise from about $8.70 to $9.50.

“Drivers have had no increase in pay in at least three years, and everything is going up on us, such as insurance and maintenance,” said Bill Craig, manager of taxi operations for Yellow Cab.

Orange Coast Yellow Cab serves Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach, Orange, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin and Westminster. The rate increase must be approved by each city.

Without debate Monday night, the Newport Beach City Council voted 7 to 0 to approve the increase. It is the first city to take up the proposal. Newport Beach approved similar rate increases for the company in 1981 and 1985. The change would apply to all cab companies operating in the city--Diamond Cab, California Sunshine Cab and West Coast Cab.

Craig said the company plans to have all the necessary approvals by Dec. 1 and to raise all the rates at once.