A while back I wrote about The Great Seattle Taxi Scandal and STITA Taxi.
Last time I was on the way to SEATAC airport in an Orange Cab, I chatted about it further with the really friendly Orange Cab driver. He also agreed that the system was absolutely ridiculous. He said that not only does STITA have an exclusive contract to pick passengers up at the SEATAC taxi line, but that if any other taxi cab attempts to pick up a passenger at the departure or arrival area, they are slapped with an expensive ticket and can lose their license.
But, he noted, there's an exception!
If the passenger explicitly calls a cab company other than STITA, they can pick the passenger up in the arrival area.
I tried this the last time I arrived at SEATAC. I simply dialed Orange Cab when I walked off the plane, and they had one of their drivers pick me up. Since every cab company in Seattle can drive passengers TO the airport, there are bound to be a few nearby at any given time.
So, if you want to avoid the government enforced monopoly that favors shady STITA Taxi and results in excessive wait times, fare amounts, pollution, and traffic, next time you touch down at SEATAC, give a company like Orange Cab a ring [206-522-8800 - you can put it in your phone today!].
7 comments:
If I ever go to Seattle and you don't pick me up at the airport, I'll remember this. Maybe. I'm kinda forgetful.
Hi Josh... I'm about to jump on this issue on my blog, nonfamous.com, as soon as the city's "Climate Office" replies to my inquiry about this issue. From an environmental standpoint alone, the "deadhead" trips by empty cabs are a huge problem.
And while you are right that you can call another company, this doesn't always work so well. First of all, they can only come to Departures, not arrivals. And the Port actually has someone monitoring these pickups! Several years ago, when I called Yellow for a pickup-- in part because I hate STITA and in part because I had a cab voucher that meant I wasn't fronting the company $40 while my expense report was outstanding-- a woman with a clipboard harrassed the driver (and me) about the pickup. I assured her I had called Yellow but she continued to harangue me, which is never a good idea when I've been in coach for four hours. I showed her my voucher and asked for her survisor's name so I could complain. She refused, I told her to MHOFB and left. The taxi driver said her job was to make airport pickups too big a hassle for non-STITA cabbies. Our tax dollars at work!
It gets even better than that! Non-STITA taxis need to PAY for permits just to pick you up at the departures area. Next time you're in a non-STITA cab, ask the driver for more details. It's a ridiculous ordeal!
Rode with Stita driver from Seatac. Driver said he hated gays. That when two lesbians were kissing in his back seat, he told them to stop, they didn't and this driver stopped and kicked them out.
When my friend and I got to our Belltown destination, he gave a high price. He added that married couple had cheaper rates than two men going to the same destination.
OK, I'm not claiming to *know*, but my understanding is that the reason STITA has the airport contract is that they complied with the Port of Seattle's environmental requirements. Their latest extension is based on having an all CNG fleet, which results in a huge emissions reduction. I *do* know that people in charge of the environmental improvement of the Port properties are very sincere and hard working. I don't think jerky drivers was part of the contract.
hi josh... 2009 the airport allowed this 50 cabs as a dual cab for the dead heading situation here in seatac. In turn stita taxi charged $25,000.00 each. For being a member.
This is in response to everyone who said against STITA. To tell everyone else about the politics of NON STITA CAB companies, pay attention to this. I was travelling in yellow cab when driver told me that their owners could pay us well if we say shit against STITA. Yellow cab Driver added that Yellow is spreading false compalints online to show STITA bad so it could be a peice of cake for them to get Airport contract.
I was so mad that this greed is going to put impact on good company as STITA since they are environmentally friendly cab co. not like others who are lung cancer givers. People open your eyes so ride in cancer free cabs as STITA instead of disease givers.
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