Early voting on the future of fingerprinting drivers for hire in Austin begins in five weeks, and interested parties are hard at work educating the public on which button to press at the polls. On Monday, the Supreme Court of Texas upheld ballot language that City Council approved in February after a political action committee […]
Taxi Drivers Association of Austin
The taxi driver organization in Austin.
Posted inCity Council
Council pushes ahead on taxicab contracts, co-op
City Council concluded another chapter in the current taxicab franchise renewal saga Thursday, voting to tentatively renew contracts with the city’s three service providers and amend related regulations. It also directed city staff to explore creating a fourth, cooperative franchise. While the full Council must make the final decision on the franchise renewals and regulations, […]
Posted inTransportation
Council committee wants co-op taxicab proposal
While City Council mulls over ways to renew the city’s contracts with its three existing taxicab franchises, the drivers who contract with those companies appear to be inching closer to their dream of a fourth, a worker-owned cooperative. The Council Mobility Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend that the full Council direct city staff to bring […]
Posted inTransportation
Council considers taxicab agreements
On Thursday, the parking garage at City Hall was filled with taxicabs. The reason was clear: For the first time, City Council members were considering the fate of the city’s three taxicab franchise agreements as a body. Ultimately, they voted unanimously to “pass a placeholder” and extend the current contract, with the understanding that the […]
Posted inCity Council, Transit, Transportation
Taxicab drivers rally for worker-owned co-op
As Austin’s ground transportation service industry faces upheaval due to new competition, taxi drivers are using a looming expiration of the city’s taxicab franchises as an opportunity to push for, among other requests, a cooperative, driver-owned franchise. Dave Passmore, president of the taxicab union Taxi Drivers Association of Austin, garnered attention Tuesday morning when he […]