San Antonio taxi drivers are asking the city to raise taxi rates as higher insurance costs, fewer rides, and limited access to key pickup areas continue to pressure independent cab operators.

Independent taxi drivers in San Antonio are asking the city to raise taxi rates as they deal with higher insurance costs, fewer rides, and limited access to some of the city’s busiest pickup areas.

According to a recent KSAT report, San Antonio’s current taxi fare structure is set at a $3.50 drop charge and $2.70 per mile. Drivers told the station those rates no longer reflect the cost of operating in the city.

Drivers Say Insurance Costs Are Up While Taxi Rates Have Stayed Flat

Linda Thomas, owner of ALRT Taxi, told KSAT that some drivers now spend most of the day waiting for work and still go home without enough revenue to cover basic expenses.

“We sit here sometimes for four to 10 hours,” Thomas said. “Sometimes longer. And the revenue we are getting from the few rides we get, we are not prospering at all. Just a day or two ago, nobody got in. I went home mad as all get out, disgusted and upset, wanting to know what can be done!”

Mike Nazir, an independent taxi driver who has been in the industry for 12 years, told KSAT that insurance costs have climbed sharply while city rates have remained the same.

“Our insurances have gone up almost 30%, and our rates have stayed the same,” Nazir said. “The cost of living has gone up. Rides are few. So, we are fighting to survive in this industry.”

Drivers told KSAT they want to work with the city on a proposal to raise rates so fares better match current operating costs.

Drivers Point to Visibility and Pickup Access as Additional Problems

Thomas told KSAT that some riders may assume taxi service disappeared after Yellow Cab’s bankruptcy, even though independent cabs are still operating in San Antonio.

“When Yellow Cab went bankrupt, they thought all the taxis were gone,” Thomas said. “They don’t see us. If we are not visible, they don’t know.”

She also told KSAT that independent drivers do not have a cab stand at the convention center, which makes it harder to position cabs in one of the city’s higher demand areas.

“Another problem is that we have no cab stand at the convention center,” Thomas said. “When we try to be there, they come after us, sometimes it’s the police, saying we can park in certain areas.”

The report also noted that many independent taxi drivers currently pay to wait in a lot across from the airport until they are called to the terminals for pickups.

San Antonio’s Taxi Count Has Dropped Sharply

Nazir told KSAT that San Antonio once had about 900 taxis operating in the city. He said that the number has now fallen to roughly 220.

Thomas also told KSAT that drivers are looking into whether grants could help with vehicle costs and day-to-day operating expenses.

“That will help us maintain the vehicle and put food on the table,” Thomas said. “Business has gone down a bit. Some days I don’t even have money for gas, so I have to stay still somewhere where I can’t even make money.”

Even with Uber and Lyft firmly established in the market, drivers interviewed by KSAT said they still believe traditional taxi service remains necessary in San Antonio.

“Cabs are needed in this city,” Nazir said. “Some people have been driving for 40 years. This is their livelihood. We want to work with the city because we are just trying to survive.”