Port of Seattle tactics are costly and inefficient
The Port of Seattle has seen fit to perpetuate an inefficient taxi system, increase air pollution and add to the financial crisis in our state by retaining an exclusive arrangement for pickup service with a single taxi company [“Contract loss costly for Sea-Tac taxi group,” NWFriday, Dec. 18].
One-way exclusivity assures each taxi touching Sea-Tac Airport operates at 50 percent efficiency and burns twice the necessary fuel because nearly all trips are one-way. A driver is licensed to either pick up at Sea-Tac or pick up elsewhere to drop off at Sea-Tac but not both; except for the lucky 49.
By changing taxi companies, 215 drivers become unemployed, of which 166 are prohibited from picking up fares in Seattle. The additional $860,000 in annual revenue pledged to the Port by the winning firm wouldn’t even cover unemployment benefits for the unlucky 166.
And will Sea-Tac rail service reduce taxi volume such that the winning firm not only can’t replace its fleet with hybrids as promised but may not be able to fulfill its financial obligation as occurred in Detroit this year? A sensible approach to airport taxi service is to open it up to any licensed taxi, thereby eliminating one-way trips, and adjust fares to make Sea-Tac attractive to taxi drivers.
— James R. Flaherty, Seattle