Several weeks ago we discussed how expensive things are getting in Sin City. However, we did not talk about Las Vegas taxi cabs or popular ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft. But now, reports are surfacing that simply getting around town is starting to cost visitors a lot more as well.
First, fares for a Las Vegas taxi are on the rise. The Review-Journal reported that the base fee for every ride will be increased by a as much as 50% in the coming months. That fare is currently set $3.50, but will be increased to $5.25 in the near future.
Not only that, but the distance fee is also getting a bump, rising from 23 cents for every 1/12th mile to 37 cents for every 1/8th mile traveled. Sound confusing? That’s how they want it! Smarter minds than ours calculated the increase into simple terms and found that this is a 20-cent per mile increase, from $2.76 to $2.96.
Also, if you’ve visited Sin City over the past year you may remember that there are now “set fees” for rides to and from the airport. Those fees were supposed to prevent drivers from taking the ‘scenic route’. But word has come that these set fees will also see a cost increase as well.
Think you can beat the system with Uber and Lyft? Well, not so fast, as even those companies use what’s called “surge pricing” to throttle your fare during peak times, and for things like concerts and sporting events. The Taxicab Authority is now considering taking a page from their playbook to implement these “surge prices” as well.
There is so far no specific timetable for the Las Vegas taxi fare increases, but the best guess we could find is that they will occur before the end of the year. So, you will most likely pay more for your room, win less at the tables, and plunk down more to eat… so why should you not pay more for your ride to the resort?
