Pittsburgh has made a lot of progress over the years. But this takes things to a whole new level. Who else is psyched for more cabs downtown??
City Cab is a new taxi service serving downtown Pittsburgh and many of its surrounding city neighborhoods.
The fleet of six black-and-white cabs was launched into service on Tuesday morning by Pittsburgh Transportation Group, which also runs Yellow Cab.
City Cab provides service to downtown Pittsburgh, Oakland, the Strip District, the North Side, the South Side, Uptown, the West End and Mount Washington.
"It's going to bring more people in here. They're going to feel like, 'Hey, it doesn't matter that I have to go to the Strip District now. If it's raining, I don't have to walk. I can take a city cab,'" said Jeremy Waldrup, of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.
Potential riders said the cabs may help ease recent cutbacks to the Port Authority's bus service.
"All the routes being taken away, I think it'd be a big benefit to a lot of people -- students, people employed down here in the city," said Jeff McGee of Oakland.
Director Jerry Campolongo said they will adjust their service areas, based on demand. He realizes that it may lose money at the beginning, but they see a future in it.
He also cracked a joke as he acknowledged the historic difficulty of hailing a cab in the city.
"Here's the deal in Pittsburgh," Campolongo said. "Up until today, if you put your hand up and wave for a taxi cab, the cab driver will wave back at you and keep going. After today, you hail these guys, they're going to pull over, they're going to take you for a ride."
"I'll be looking for better customer service with my customers, to try to get them local places. I'm looking forward to being a more reliable service," City Cab driver Danny Waajid said.
City Cab is expected to add 14 more vehicles by the end of the year.
"A lot of people can't get taxicabs. I send them over to the hotel every day for a taxicab. We need good people like this," said Ken Price, who works at a parking garage.
Read more: http://www.wtae.com/news/30723525/detail.html#ixzz1pyJVyXpp
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