INCREASING THE TAXIS'S ROLE IN URBAN AMERICA

The solutions now being offered to the public transportation problem (such as BART and METRO), however fast (once you get on them) and pretty, are nothing more than 1970 versions of 1870 commuter railroads that tied together the suburbs and the downtowns. They lack the accessibility and central-city coverage afforded by earlier rail rapid transit, and they fail to provide easy-to-reach, door-to-door service for most would-be users -- especially for people without automobiles, for people who are physically infirm, and for people who live within central cities, close to downtown. Given some reasoned tinkering with regulation, pricing, and operation, taxicabs might very well have a profound and lasting impact on transit patronage and lead to reduced automobile commuting. It is also possible to think of ways in which taxis would better serve some urban groups who are served poorly or not at all by existing transit systems.