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CAA: Airport News, "All taxis to get Binghamton, New York airport access"
Wednesday, May 24, 2000
All taxis to get airport access
Broome County says it will cancel Yellow Cab's contract
By DON SBARRA
Binghamton (NY) Press
Travelers arriving at Binghamton Regional Airport could soon have a choice
of taxi services under a plan that would end the exclusive contract held by
Yellow Cab of Binghamton.
The proposal calls for a medallion-style sticker system that would require
all taxicabs serving the county-run airport to be registered and annually
inspected by Broome County officials. Cabs would also be subject to random
inspections by airport operations personnel to make sure they are maintained
in a safe and aesthetically acceptable fashion.
"There have been serious problems that we feel need to be rectified," County
Executive Jeffrey P. Kraham said Tuesday. "This is going to open up the
whole process and improve the service."
Kraham said he expects to have legislation ready for review by the county
Legislature next month, and to have the sticker/inspection system ready for
implementation as early as July 1. Yellow Cab has been notified of the
county's plans to cancel the contract under a clause that allows either
party to pull out with 30-days notice, he said. The move was prompted in
part, Kraham said, by Yellow Cab's inability to promptly meet payments to
the county for counterspace rental and other fees. "They will be out of
there, one way or another," he said.
The executive's sense of finality was not shared Tuesday by Yellow Cab owner
Ken Cohen, however. He confirmed that discussions are underway concerning
the contract, but added, "we haven't agreed to anything at this point." He
said the company is currently up to date on all its financial obligations to
the county, and that he is not aware of any major problems. As for the
proposed new sticker system, Cohen said he could live with it. "I think it
would work out for us," he said.
Fully in favor of the plan is Yellow Cab competitor Cory Rosen, who with
brother Steven Rosen runs Uptown Motors, a limousine company that recently
launched a new 14-car service called Checker Cab. He said the proposed
system should improve the quality of the vehicles working the airport crowd
while also improving the overall service.
"I have no problem with it as long as they enforce it," Rosen said,
referring especially to the routine and random cab inspections. "I don't
think exclusivity is right. All I want is an even playing field. If I'm
participating (meeting all the requirements of the program) I expect
everyone else to as well."
Kraham said the plan envisions a system that would eventually include a
swipe-card access system for cab operators that, like phone cards, would be
paid in advance and allow them a set number of entrances into the cab lane
that will be created in front of the newly renovated terminal building.
The proposal comes at a time when City of Binghamton officials are weighing
legislation designed to crack down on shoddily run taxi services and the
dilapidated vehicles they operate.
Rosen said both the city and airport operators have provisions already in
place to insure vehicle safety and appearance, but they're often ignored.
Post your opinion on this story in the CAA Discussion Forum
http://www.californiaaviation.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?conf=DCConfID8
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