City Close To Closing Deal To Fund Taxi Stand
City Officials: Downtown Taxi Stand Keeps Students Safe
A downtown Madison taxi stand facing closure might be saved by an anonymous donor.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportCity officials said the late-night taxi stand on University Avenue on Friday and Saturday nights will likely stay in operation even after the money for the pilot project runs out.They said they are close to closing a deal with a local corporation to keep the stand going. They said it is an issue of safety with large groups of drunk students leaving the bars at bar time."If (students) had a beer too many, they couldn't distinguish a cab from a regular car," said Rosemary Lee, who volunteers at the taxi stand. "I kept pulling them back to the curb so they didn't get hit."Lee said she works to keep students who are leaving the bars safe from traffic while trying to get a cab."I volunteered last night, too, and I cannot tell you how many people I got out of these lanes of traffic," Lee said.Lee volunteers her time at the stand, but there is a need for a paid position called "a starter.""(We need) someone from the cab industry, the transportation industry to cue up the cabs. (They would ask people), 'Where you are you headed?'" said Alderman Joel Plant.The city said it would like to start similar taxi stands in other areas of downtown to help keep people safe.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportCity officials said the late-night taxi stand on University Avenue on Friday and Saturday nights will likely stay in operation even after the money for the pilot project runs out.They said they are close to closing a deal with a local corporation to keep the stand going. They said it is an issue of safety with large groups of drunk students leaving the bars at bar time."If (students) had a beer too many, they couldn't distinguish a cab from a regular car," said Rosemary Lee, who volunteers at the taxi stand. "I kept pulling them back to the curb so they didn't get hit."Lee said she works to keep students who are leaving the bars safe from traffic while trying to get a cab."I volunteered last night, too, and I cannot tell you how many people I got out of these lanes of traffic," Lee said.Lee volunteers her time at the stand, but there is a need for a paid position called "a starter.""(We need) someone from the cab industry, the transportation industry to cue up the cabs. (They would ask people), 'Where you are you headed?'" said Alderman Joel Plant.The city said it would like to start similar taxi stands in other areas of downtown to help keep people safe. Copyright 2008 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
