Incentives seek to improve taxi voucher service

Calling for a cab is a catch-as-catch-can proposition in Laguna, especially if the company knows the rider will be paying with a city voucher — and city officials aren’t happy about it.

The current voucher program isn’t working and even regular calls for a cab aren’t much better served, council members complained.

“You should be able to call a taxi and go, but it doesn’t come,” Mayor Pro Tem Cheryl Kinsman said.

The voucher program was instituted in 2001 to supplement the city’s transit system. Vouchers, which can be purchased by anyone, are redeemable when the city’s bus service is not in operation.

In an effort to improve and promote the service, the City Council voted unanimously at the Aug. 5 meeting to increase the subsidy the city pays the taxi companies that honor the vouchers from $10 to $13, at an additional cost to the city of $6,400 and to better promote the program with key user groups, by making it easier to buy the vouchers.

Each voucher costs the buyer $3 and is good for one ride for up to four passengers between any two points in the city as long as one of the points is the designated commercial zone in the Downtown Specific Plan or North Coast Highway at Viejo Street and Coast Highway at Seventh Avenue.

A significant number of the vouchers used in the city are for trips of five or six miles, which would cost $17.90, excluding tip, sans voucher.

“The vouchers are good for at least 12 months,” said Susan Cannan, director of community services.

Incentives to attract customers:

?Better marketing through ads and information in the city’s quarterly Community Services brochure that is mailed directly to residents, posting the information on the city’s website, mailings to seniors and other advertising

?Additional sales sites, including the Community/Senior Center when it opens

?Increase the number of vouchers that can be purchased at one time from six to 20, payable by credit card.

Expanding the hours for voucher use was also discussed, but not approved. Councilwoman Elizabeth Pearson made a pitch on behalf of seniors who might want to use the service on weekdays for appointments or shopping. However, City Manager Ken Frank pointed out that would put the taxis in direct competition with the city’s bus system, which is trying to increase ridership.

“I will contact other cities and see if any have come up with other processes,” Frank said.

Taxi companies are not obliged to participate in the program. Cannan said the city wants to increase the number of companies beyond the four now participating, whose contracts are due to expire Sept. 30. They have expressed concerns about increases in operating expenses, including the cost of gasoline.

The $13 reimbursement is viewed by city staff as an incentive for companies to participant and drivers to show up, Cannan said.