Riding a taxi in Chapel Hill is no “Cash Cab.” Rather, it’s a guessing game for students unsure of how much they’ll be asked to pay at their destination. By making progress on a campaign pledge of hers — and mine — from the spring, Student Body President Mary Cooper has gotten off to a good start at taking the guesswork out of Chapel Hill taxis. However, Cooper should look to private operators to see if they can provide a faster, market-driven approach that local government cannot.
As competitors in the race for student body president, Cooper and I both advocated for a flat-rate taxi service that is a long time coming for Chapel Hill. With a population of about 30,000 students, a thriving nightlife and a suburban setting, taxis should be an integral part of life in Chapel Hill for those who do not live directly on a bus route. But due to uncertainties about cost and access, they remain a non-option for many students and residents.
This could change, though, as both the town and private businesses consider instituting a flat-rate system. The Town of Chapel Hill has agreed to investigate Cooper’s proposal of dividing the town into two rate-controlled zones — and they could have something in place as early as spring of next year. In the meantime, Chapel Hill Taxi has stated that it will begin instituting a new flat-rate policy of $5 for those traveling within a two-mile radius of campus.
This welcomed move by Chapel Hill Taxi, which already has an existing flat-rate agreement with the Panhellenic Council, could spur other companies to follow suit in a bid to stay competitive, if proven successful.
While Cooper says her team attempted to reach out to private taxi companies before turning to local government, she should try again and work harder to build an enthusiastic coalition of industry partners. The biggest obstacle to a successful flat-rate option is likely opposition from local taxi operators concerned about government mandating prices, and Cooper should be acutely focused on minimizing such pushback.
The goal of the project should not be new government regulations but the creation of a vibrant and affordable taxi service for students and residents needing to get around town. Whether that comes from the town or local business should be of little concern.
A flat-rate taxi service benefits more than just those too drunk to drive home from house parties. Off-campus students needing to stay late on campus, freshmen needing to go off campus or the average resident would all benefit from such an option and should come out in support of a flat-rate taxi system.
Cooper is on the right track by enlisting the town’s support and encouraging a zone-based proposal rather than her original fee-based approach, which would have proven impractical.
But she is going to need to gain the support of local taxi operators if she doesn’t want to see her flat-rate proposal flatline.
