San Luis limits taxi parking in neighborhoods
SAN LUIS, Ariz. – The city will impose a new restriction on the number of taxi cabs that can remain parked in residential neighborhoods when not in service.
The San Luis City Council has amended the city code to limit to two the number of cabs that can be parked at any home in the city.
The new rule comes on the heels of regulations approved by the council in December that put a ceiling on the number of cabs that can park at the border.
Recent years have seen more cabs operating in San Luis, many of them seeking to collect fares among the increasing number of pedestrians crossing the border from Mexico.
The amendment was labeled by at least one cab operator as an effort to drive her out of business, but San Luis Planning and Zoning Director Jose Guzman said the new rule aims to resolve complaints of neighbors who say taxis detract from the image of their neighborhoods and take up the public rights-of-way.
The amendment also prohibits cab operations from posting signs and other publicity for their services on their property. And, they cannot make any modifications to their property for the purposes of operating their businesses.
Araceli Yanez, an independent cab driver, said the amendment is one more obstacle to taxi operators wanting to work in San Luis.
“They are closing the door on us. My work is my salary, the livelihood for me and my children. It affects a number of us taxi drivers who live here.”
In December, the council passed an ordinance that caps at 35 the number of taxis that can park in designated areas near the U.S. Port of Entry while waiting to pick up passengers. The cabs must belong to companies that have premises and dispatch centers in San Luis and that pay an annual license fee of $50 to the city.
Mayor Gerardo Sanchez said the regulations are aimed only at ensuring order and safety in the city.
“From last year on, we have received complaints (about cabs) in the neighborhoods,” he said. “In other cities, they don’t allow taxis in the (residential) neighborhoods.”
He added that taxi operators were given ample prior notice of the ordinance adopted in December and had the opportunity to comment on it prior to its passage.
“(The ordinance) was publicized. It was done according to what we legally are required to do, and as with all other issues, there was no presence (at the council meeting) of taxi operators.”
The San Luis regulations are looser compared to those in other cities,” he said, noting as an example that San Luis allows taxis to wait in public rights-of-way for passengers.
“In other cities, they don’t allow that. That only happens in San Luis. In any other city they don’t permit you to have taxis parked on a public road like we do, or to park five taxis at your house.”
Sanchez said the council would have had to limit parking near the border in any case, given the port of entry will undergo expansion in the future.
“The priority is safety and we are not going to jeopardize it. Besides changes are coming in that area with the construction at the port of entry, and we have to be ready. Having so may taxis there eventually would obstruct the work.”