Nearly a million and a half travelers were overcharged an estimated $14.8 million last year by cabdrivers and cab companies, a legislative audit of the state Taxicab Authority found.
The audit, released Monday, estimated that 22.5 percent of the 6.6 million rides given by local taxicabs to and from McCarran International Airport in 2012 were deceptively long.
The practice, known as long hauling, added an average of about $10 to the typical cab fare, according to the audit. It recommended that the Taxicab Authority take several steps to prevent long hauling. Auditors came up with their estimate by reviewing 2,730 airport trips and said 614 of them involved long hauling.
They noted that their estimate was conservative because they did not count a trip as a long hauling ride unless the fare was at least $5 higher than the estimated fare to a specific destination, typically about $16 to $18.
“Although the Authority has increased its efforts to detect long hauling, more needs to be done, including the use of preventative measures,” the audit said.
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While bargaining for lesser fines for traffic tickets is an everyday event for the general public, that option has disappeared for taxi drivers caught long hauling, or running up the tab on unsuspecting tourists.
As part of the tougher enforcement stance in recent weeks, Nevada Taxicab Authority officials have stopped settling citations for less than the statutory penalties, which range from $100 for the first offense to $350 for the fourth.
They have also started to recommend that hearing officers suspend taxi licenses for three to 10 days starting with the second offense.
A fifth offense can lead to license revocation.
“We know we won’t stop long hauling completely,” authority administrator Charles Harvey said. “But we want to send a message to create a deterrent.”
Long hauling, Las Vegas-style, involves carrying passengers between the Strip and McCarran International Airport via a roundabout route that includes the Las Vegas Beltway. This can boost a typical $16 fare to $26 or more, depending on how far the detour stretches.
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