Is there any reason there's no "flag" cabs in Pittsburgh? (Butler: hotels, law school)

[Drover]

You'd think they'd useful in the downtown area and make a killing trawling Carson Street, Murray Avenue and Shadyside at night. Is there some ordinance prohibiting this, or do the cab owners/drivers just not see a business case for it?

[Hopes]

There's no ordinance.

I recently asked a cab driver why we couldn't flag taxis in Pittsburgh.

He said the usually don't stop because they are heading to another call. Bottom line, there's just not enough cabs for that type of service.

He also added that he has been ripped off by people he picked up randomly not paying.

When they don't have a call, they prefer to sit at the hotels because the airport runs pay better than a quick run across town.

[Johnny C]

I hailed a cab a half hour ago over on the North Shore. Sometimes you just have to get lucky.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Hopes

There's no ordinance.

I recently asked a cab driver why we couldn't flag taxis in Pittsburgh.

He said the usually don't stop because they are heading to another call. Bottom line, there's just not enough cabs for that type of service.

He also added that he has been ripped off by people he picked up randomly not paying.

When they don't have a call, they prefer to sit at the hotels because the airport runs pay better than a quick run across town.

If there aren't enough cabs for that, maybe it's time to consider issuing more medallions? Especially with people complaining it can take up to an hour for a called cab to arrive.

Around here you pay $2.50 just to get into the cab, before it ever even starts moving. Because of that it actually pays better to do a lot of short runs than one long one. But of course that only works if you're reasonably certain of picking up another fare shortly after dropping one off. Maybe there's just not enough overall demand despite the obvious demand in spot locations like Carson Street.

[BrianTH]

I think the basic reason is not enough demand, but of course there is a feedback loop: if it is hard to flag cabs you will make alternative arrangements, and if almost everyone has made alternative arrangements there won't be enough demand, and if there isn't enough demand it will end up hard to flag cabs . . . .

[Impala26]

Maybe in the same certain key areas (Downtown, Oakland, North/South Sides, Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, etc.) they should establish a few "taxi stops" where able. It would provide people who don't know about the cab service a viable advertising tool.

I'm certain something like this wouldn't be attempted on the same "there's not enough demand" grounds. However, I think if it were provided so it would increase demand. It's exactly like the feedback loop Brian is describing. It could also provide people who are reliant on buses for transportation a late-night alternative, not to mention keeping potential DUI'ers off the road.

[Blackbeauty212]

Maybe a city campaign should be started to push for more Cab use in the citys hot spots.....and they could set up a nightlife route where cab should follow until a fare is found....

Say downtown from 6st to north shore to e ohio street to 16th bridge to smallman (use penn in opposite travel) to Butler to 40th to Liberty to Centre Av to Shady Av Forbes Av to Bellefield to 5 AV to Birmingham to Carson to Smithfield to 6 AV to Liberty to 6 st back to the North Side....

Again this only routing while looking for fares...once a fare is pickup Cab can go where ever the fare needs to go and use the fastest route...Once fare is complete...Cab makes it way back to the "Hail" route unless another fare is picked up before the cab has a chance to make it back to the route.

I should with a little city marketing/intitiative and this route you will find people beginning to hail for service then it will grow from there.

[BrianTH]

It might be a good idea to set up regularly-available cab service of the kind the last couple posters described, but I suspect it might need to be subsidized, at least initially.

[Drover]

Brian, correct me if I'm wrong but I've deduced that you've spent quality time in Hyde Park and maybe even lived there. What was cab availability like down there?

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Drover

Brian, correct me if I'm wrong but I've deduced that you've spent quality time in Hyde Park and maybe even lived there. What was cab availability like down there?

Indeed--I lived there for three years while I was in law school. Unfortunately, I can't really tell you from personal experience about cab availability. I had a car and also used buses, but never much cabs--I took a cab BACK to Hyde Park a couple times, but never to my recollection FROM Hyde Park.

Secondhand, I think most people would call for cabs, and that seemed to work fine. You could probably flag them on some of the main streets too, but I just don't recall hearing people saying they did that.