HEBRON, Ky. — Where there’s an airport, there’s likely a taxi. But the taxis at CVG don’t have a uniform look.
Ariel Lusco wanted to take a cab home after flying back to Cincinnati and noticed a change.
“I thought it was a little weird because there was no meter. I didn’t see his license posted anywhere,” Lusco said.
She said the situation made her feel unsafe and she got out of the taxi.
“He was very polite,” she said. “He did let me get out of the car no problem.”
Something else that shocked her was the price. Lusco said the ride home cost $50 more than her usual fare costs.
“Each driver has his own company name and that’s why you cannot come to someone — even if I’m an older driver here, I cannot come to him and say hey don’t charge the customers this because I’m not responsible, I’m not his manager and I’m not his supervisor,” said taxi Driver Alpha Sao.
In a statement, CVG spokesperson Mindy Kershner said taxi services are provided by “multiple independent drivers with Commonwealth of Kentucky Taxi Licenses who are also permitted under annual license agreements by CVG.”
“Since COVID there hasn’t been one entity who could manage the full operation at CVG. Now, there are companies that exist,” Kershner said.
Lusco said the situation was confusing and made her feel unsafe.
Sao has been a taxi driver at the airport for 15 years. He said that each driver drives their own car and charges different rates and Lusco isn’t the only passenger who is confused and feels unsafe.
“When the customers come out, most of the time they get lost,” he said. “Sometimes they come here, they see drivers, the drivers doesn’t look like an assigned taxi, doesn’t look like a taxi — some cars are white, another black ... so they are confused and they are scared.”
Kershner said taxi drivers are allowed to be there if they have a yellow CVG sticker. If they don’t, they shouldn’t be there. The good news for passengers like Lusco is that Kershner said the days of independent drivers at CVG are coming to an end.
“In an effort to improve service and set standards for the on-demand taxi operation, CVG has decided to partner with one entity to manage everything including the fleet of vehicles, rates, a smartphone app to book trips, and more. Last month, our Board approved a contract to have a single taxi company, zTrip, manage this operation and that will go into effect in early December,” Kershner said.
Sao said he is excited for zTrip to come in and help with signage and regulations. He said he hopes the taxi company takes the time to get to know the drivers and their experience.
“We work hard, we try to make money to put some bread on the table for our family and the customers they come here to get transported,” Sao said.
CVG has a list of taxi cab providers on their website.
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