KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasRegulators Deny Creation of New Cab Company
An effort to bring a new taxicab company to Clark County with a specific mission was shot down Tuesday morning. The company is called Handicab and aims to serve the disabled.
Handicab claims disabled customers are ignored by other cab companies.
Board members on the Nevada Taxi Cab Authority made their decision based on the fact that the economy cannot absorb an additional 40 vans servicing not just the disabled, but the general population.
Attorneys for taxi cab companies were at the hearing. They filed a petition to stop Handicab from moving forward. Their argument was that there is no demand for Handicab to exist, especially since it would directly threaten taxi cab businesses.
Handicab, on the other hand, claimed taxi cab companies ignore the disabled, can be insensitive, and not meet their special needs.
"I can't get to certain places because none of the taxi cabs will come there. I have to take the bus. Handicab will relieve that problem. They will respect me -- everyone here deserves respect," said Bill Wantlands.
Richard Flaven is President of Deluxe Taxi Cab Service. He says he only gets about four calls per week from the disabled. That's why he says he only has one van instead of the three he applied for, "I'm in possession of three medallions for wheelchair vans. What I brought here today are two medallions I cannot use because there is not enough business for calls for wheelchair vans."
This is a something the co-owners of Handicab had been working on for two years. After Tuesday afternoon's outcome, they have no plans to start up their fight again.
