Council Votes to Support Cab Drivers; Opposes Practice of Leasing Cars

About 30 vocal taxi drivers came before the Cambridge City Council last night to seek support for their opposition to a proposal sponsored by cab owners to lease their cars to drivers.

The council voted to continue to oppose leasing, a practice currently prohibited by the city's hackney rules.

In a March 8 hearing before the city's licensing commission. Yellow Cab Company Owner Arthur Goldberg proposed that the commission permit owners to lease cabs, saying it would benefit drivers by specifying a limit to how much they would have to split with the owners.

But drivers said that leasing would not increase profits. "If I had to pay $30 a night for a car and $10 for a tank of gas. I could not make a living," said William Cavallini, an 11-year cabbie.

Cavallini said that leasing would force drivers to stay out later on the streets to make the money they need.

Cheat

Another driver, Philip Kelsey, said leasing would be bad for the public. "Leasing gives drivers motivation to cheat customers because they want to cover their rent quickly," he said.

Two years ago, the council went on the record as opposed to leasing. "Nothing has changed since the last hearing," said Cavallini.

Other Business

In other business, the council debated cutting funds for Cambridge City Hospital by $625,000, because the facility was not being used enough.

Private patients are not using the hospital, said City Manager Robert W. Healy. He added that the number of patients who rely on Medicare to pay their medical bills has increased significantly and that because of cutbacks in government reimbursement the city may not be able to afford to keep the hospital running at current levels.

The council referred the request to the city health and hospital committee.