TITLE
Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the hearing, find and determine that the rate proposed is just, reasonable and nondiscriminatory, and not in violation of the Long Beach Municipal Code or any provision of law; authorize City Manager to amend the permit with Long Beach Yellow Cab Cooperative, Inc., to authorize and establish new rates for taxicab service at $2.85 per flag drop, $2.70 per mile, and $29.19 per hour waiting time; and
Authorize City Manager to approve the modified "Green taxicab" color scheme for new hybrid vehicles and allow the vehicles to be placed into service. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) Section 5.80.140 requires a hearing be held before the City Council prior to the authorization of any rate or fare for taxicab service. The LBMC also requires that the City Council make the determination that the rate is just, reasonable and nondiscriminatory, and not in violation of the provisions of the LBMC or any other provision or law. Attached for your review is the request of Long Beach Yellow Cab Cooperative, Inc. (Long Beach Yellow Cab), for a rate increase (Attachment A). The results of the City staff analysis are provided in the Proposed 2008 Taxicab Rate Increase table located on page two. Taxicab rates were last changed in 2007 and prior to that 2005, 2001 and 1996. Since the rate increase of August 2007, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County has increased by 5.8 percent. The cost of operating a taxicab in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area has also increased 9.83 percent since August 2007. The increase proposed by Long Beach Yellow Cab is approximately 16 percent per flag drop and approximately 12 percent per trip depending on the distance of the trip.
City staff contacted neighboring jurisdictions and found that most had recently increased taxicab service rates during the first half of this calendar year. Although other costs of ope...
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