Cheapest Cab Companies in Las Vegas – In researching cab fares for the Las Vegas area I was surprised by several things. First and foremost, I found that most cab companies in the Las Vegas area do not accept credit cards as a form of payment. The second thing that was very interesting is that cab fares are not regulated by cab companies themselves. The rates for taxi cabs are set by the Nevada Taxicab Authority which means that the only difference between cab companies in the Las Vegas area would be reliability and customer service. Thirdly, there are sixteen different cab companies that operate in the Las Vegas area including to and from the airport.
The charge for simply getting into a taxi cab is $3.30 (2008). If you are being picked up or dropped off at McCarran airport there is an additional $1.20 initial fee (2008) bringing your cost of getting into the taxi cab up to $5.50 and you still haven’t even moved yet. Once you advise the driver of your destination, you are then charged $.53 per 1/5th of a mile (2008). Additionally, the taxi cabs charge $30.00 per hour for waiting time. This means that anytime a taxicab is idling below 12 miles per hour, the customer is charged at a rate of $.53 for every 63 seconds at this speed (2008) in addition to normal charges.
Therefore, the cheapest cab fare you will find in Las Vegas is the shortest trip you are taking. Now, customers are able to help their fares be less costly simply by traveling when the roads are not jam packed. By traveling during non peak travel times, customers are able to save themselves the majority of this waiting charge. Secondly, research the routes to where you are going before entering the taxi cab because some cab drivers will intentionally take the longest route possible for your ride. If the customer is aware of the shortest way to their destination, they can save themselves mileage cost on a taxi cab ride. Another way to avoid the $1.20 airport surcharge would be for customers to walk off the airport grounds and have the taxi pick them up off of airport property.
The Nevada Taxicab Authority gives an example that if the customers destination is to 4 Queens from the airport, the taxicab fare would be $22.52, but that price jumps to $24.52 with just four minutes of waiting time (2008). Therefore, I would recommend that customers research the sixteen different cab companies in the Las Vegas area by reading reviews and asking around about these companies. Secondly, I would recommend that customers plan the shortest route to their destination before entering a taxi cab to avoid long routes that cost additional money. Thirdly, I would avoid taking a taxi cab from the airport if at all possible because this will save $1.20 right off the top. Finally, walking and biking are great exercise and good for the environment as well; therefore, I recommend avoiding the taxi cabs completely by getting some fresh air and exercise.
Reference
2008). TAXICAB FARES AND FEES… . Retrieved August 1, 2008, from NEVADA TAXI CAB AUTHORITY Web site: http://www.taxi.state.nv.us/FaresFees.htm
