After 22 Years, Taxi Firm Loses Airport Contract

County supervisors on Tuesday awarded the cab contract for John Wayne Airport to a firm that will charge lower fares and provide more money to the county than the taxi company that has had the contract for 22 years.

The 5-0 vote reverses an earlier Airport Commission recommendation to retain the existing firm, Orange County Airport Yellow Cab. The commission’s decision sparked a nasty monthlong bidding war between the company and A-AAA Yellow Cab Inc., which eventually won.

The board’s decision should result in lower fares for taxicab riders, because A-AAA had agreed to drop the $1-per-ride surcharge that its competitor now tacks on to fares.

Supervisor Marian Bergeson said A-AAA’s willingness to eliminate the surcharge was one reason she voted in its favor.

“For some folks, that $1 makes a big difference,” she said.

Under its plan, A-AAA will pay the airport an average of 9 cents for each passenger. Orange County Airport Yellow Cab proposed paying the airport 7 cents per customer.

Airport commissioners said they were willing to accept lower revenues from Orange County Airport Yellow Cab because of the company’s proven track record and because it was willing to use more new cabs to serve John Wayne Airport than A-AAA.

Orange County Airport Yellow Cab’s plan called for the purchase of 90 new cabs over the three-year contract, compared to 80 under the A-AAA plan.

Supervisor William G. Steiner asked County Chief Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier to prepare a report in one year assessing the firm’s compliance with the contract.

“I had a lot of reservations,” Steiner said. “It’s easy to make promises. Following up can be difficult.”