Prince George's County Cabbies Hurt by Lack of Competition
Report: Taxi drivers get a bad deal from industry
Thursday, Jul 30, 2009 | Updated 5:46 PM EDT
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The Advancement Project gives Prince George's County cab drivers something to road rage about.
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. -- The taxi industry in Prince George's County is controlled by a handful of players to the detriment of drivers, according to an advocacy group.
Concentrated control of cab companies and the county's main dispatch service has hindered competition, according to a report by the Washington-based Advancement Project. That has led to long hours and low earnings for drivers, most of whom are immigrants, the group said.
An attorney for one of the cab companies dismissed the report's findings as "absurd." The county's Department of Environmental Resources, which oversees the taxicab board, had no immediate comment.
The report is based on public records and interviews with about 200 drivers. Companies charge drivers operating fees amounting to about half of their annual income, according to the report.
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