New tracking system offers potential solution to overpriced taxi rides

Frias Transportation Infrastructure will launch within the next two months a test of a commercial vehicle tracking system that might hold a solution for the perennial complaints about tourists being subjected to overpriced taxi rides.

The company received the go-ahead from the Nevada Transportation Authority on Thursday to equip at least 150 of its cabs, limousines and sedans owned by an FTi affiliate with its new RideIntegrity package for three months to a year. At that point, the authority would evaluate the results as a prelude to potential statewide adoption.

FTi CEO Mark James estimated more than 300 vehicles could eventually be included in the pilot project, depending on the manufacturing schedule of the hardware.

Although the concept is not new, James said the company would try to sell the system to regulatory authorities instead of private companies, the primary target for many competitors.

Enforcement agencies could then acquire both real-time and historical data on what routes cabs or other vehicles had followed and other functions, such as changing rates.

In addition, James said FTi was developing and hopes to soon deploy an app that would let passengers select a route between the McCarran International Airport and various resorts. This would create a record of a passengers accepting a $25 ride because they considered it faster and less congested than a $15 ride to the same destination that covered a shorter distance.

For years, the practice of taking out-of-the-way routes to run up the bill, known as long hauling, has marred the reputations of Las Vegas taxi drivers and the companies. Although the practice is illegal, a huge loophole allows it if drivers convince passengers that a longer ride is better.

However, whether that permission was granted often turns on conflicting memories when the Nevada Taxicab Authority investigates reported violations.

"With RideIntegrity, there will be no doubts, no questions any more," said James. "There will be no more he said, she said."

"We can only hope that works," said Sam Moffitt, a steward with the Industrial Professional Technical Employees Union, which represents some of the area's cab drivers. "A lot of people are going to scream about invasion of privacy, but I feel overall it's a good idea."

However, he noted, many low-tech ideas to reduce long hauling have never been adopted, such as posting signs at the airport taxi stands showing the estimated shortest ride prices.

Technology has come to the taxi industry in pieces, such as mobile payment systems, but the meter has changed little except for red digital numbers replacing the mechanical ones.

But change has not always been welcome. A broad group of taxi drivers in San Francisco filed suit last year to halt Uber, a car service that passengers could summon with a smart phone app. The drivers claimed the Uber improperly evaded the municipal regulations governing taxi service, although Uber said it followed all laws.

FTi is a unit of Frias Transportation Group, which is also Las Vegas' largest cab operator through five brands owned by a different subsidiary. James is CEO of all three.

In December, FTi sold a different technology platform called Roll Deals to VeriFone Systems Inc. for an undisclosed price.

Roll Deals, deployed in about 250 local cabs owned by Frias, showed interactive advertising to passengers and acted as a sales conduit for things such as coupon booklets.

Contact reporter Tim O'Reiley at
toreiley@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290.