Dallas City Hall Blog
Amid snow and taxi strike, DFW Airport suffers critical taxi shortage

11:40 AM Fri, Feb 04, 2011 | Permalink
Steve Thompson / Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips



According to striking cabdrivers, DFW Airport officials sent out an urgent message to cab companies asking for more taxis.
The email forwarded to me by the cabdrivers, which follows, said the shortage was critical.
DFW Airport is experiencing a disruption of taxicab service. Taxicab companies are requested to send any and all additional drivers and vehicles to the airport. Vehicles must be permitted at DFW Airport however drivers with a valid City of Dallas or City of Fort Worth driver permit are being allowed to operate at the Airport." However we are in a CRITICAL state and any taxi you may have will be welcomed.
DFW Airport spokesman David Magana said that he couldn't immediately confirm the authenticity of the email, but the shortage is real.
"This is what we normally do when weather hits or when there's a shortage of taxis in the queue," Magana said. "Our normally contingency plan is to call the cab companies in town and tell them that we're relieving the permit requirements for the day, and that any cabs that they have can come to the airport and roll through the queue."
But Magana said striking cabdrivers cannot take the blame or credit.
"It has more to do with the snow really," he said. "Before the snow was here, we were functioning just fine. There was never a shortage or a disruption in service."
Cabdrivers, on the hand, say it shows their strike is taking a toll.
"This is clear evidence that the work stoppage is having an effect," said Dallas NAACP board member Anthony Bond, who is supporting the cabdrivers.
UPDATE: Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway had asked cab drivers to postpone their strike during the Super Bowl and promised that, in exchange, he would work to bring them back to the table for discussions with the city.
Caraway said he wasn't advocating for changing the city's "front of the line" policy, but said it wouldn't hurt to hear the cabbies out.
"I'm saying let's bring it back and let's allow them fair opportunity to discuss it, to put their views out and let's hear them. Nothing is guaranteed," he said.
Apparently, leaders of the cab strike weren't interested in that proposition as the strike continues.
The entry "Amid snow and taxi strike, DFW Airport suffers critical taxi shortage" is tagged: DFW Airport , taxi
Categories: Dallas City Hall, Steve Thompson
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