Taxis of the United States

rdf:langString Taxis of the United States

rdf:langString April 2014

rdf:langString January 2016

rdf:langString there's no such thing as an "unwritten" regulation

rdf:langString "Taxi Security" PoV issues

rdf:langString The taxicabs of the United States make up a mature system; most U.S. cities have a licensing scheme which restricts the number of taxicabs allowed. As of 2012 the total number of taxi cab drivers in the United States is 233,900; the average annual salary of a taxi cab driver is $22,820 and the expected percent job increase over the next 10 years is 16%. Some cities use "taxi medallions" as permits for taxicab drivers to pick up passengers. Because the medallion system is a government-created intentional constraint on the supply of taxicabs, and historically cities have increased the number of medallions much more slowly than the growth in demand for taxis, medallions have generally been considered a great investment; though recently the increased supply of cars for hire created by ridesharing companies has been eroding the value of medallions. Taxicab companies may be independently owned small businesses with only one taxicab and driver or have fleets of 100 or more taxicabs. Drivers are rarely employees of the company, and usually lease the taxicab on a per-shift basis. Cabs can also be owned by separately-incorporated small businesses that subscribe to a dispatch service. The owner/driver will pay a monthly fee to the taxicab company; purchase and maintain his own vehicle, and may in turn lease shifts to other drivers. Ridesharing companies are major competitors to taxi companies, providing on-demand for-hire car service through a smartphone app in many US cities. They are generally treated as black-car services from a legal standpoint and are not generally regulated under Taxi laws. This can cause friction with both local governments and taxi companies.