The City Council next month could vote on another round of updates to San Antonio’s vehicles-for-hire ordinance, which has pitted the taxi industry against so-called transportation-network companies such as Uber and Lyft.

But a rift between taxi companies and independent drivers is becoming increasingly apparent as the council continues to deliberate potential changes to local policies. Several independent drivers have asked the council to remove the cap on taxi permits, which sits at 886 total. There are none available.

Steven Baum, an assistant director of the San Antonio Police Department who oversees ground transportation, told the council that taxi companies, such as Yellow Cab, are against removing the cap.

“We spoke with the taxi industry about that very issue, about removing the caps — they’re not in favor of it. Their position is …,” said Baum, who was interrupted by Councilman Ron Nirenberg.

The councilman was seeking more detail of who opposes removing permit caps.

“John’s not in favor of it, or the drivers aren’t in favor of it?” Nirenberg said, referring to John Boulabasis, president of Texas Taxi. Several independent drivers attending the meeting offered a bit of uncertain applause and “thank you!” to the councilman.

Baum outlined several proposed changes to taxi and limousine regulations, including a 43 percent reduction of annual operating fees, from $440 to $250. Other recommendations include allowing varied color schemes across single fleets, eliminating the currently required additional third-party annual vehicle inspection and eliminating driver manifests.

Back to Gallery Council ponders vehicle-for-hire policy changes ahead of... 9 1 of 9 Photo: John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News 2 of 9 Photo: John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News 3 of 9 Photo: John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News 4 of 9 Photo: John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News 5 of 9 Photo: John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News 6 of 9 Photo: John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News 7 of 9 Photo: John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News 8 of 9 Photo: John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News 9 of 9 Photo: John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

















City officials are also working on new operating agreements with the transportation-network companies, or TNCs, that would be an annual contract with three one-year renewal options. Baum told the council that he’s close to securing agreements with the companies operating here. The agreements, he and others said, give the city more flexibility to handle the dynamic environment surrounding TNCs.

Jeff Coyle, who oversees government relations for the city, said there’s a renewed interest among state lawmakers to push for a statewide law that would dictate how TNCs operate in Texas. As it stands now, major Texas cities have approved myriad policies for TNC operations.

Some council members continued to push for a requirement that all TNC drivers be fingerprinted, citing “public safety” as a concern. Nirenberg, however, said the public safety issue is drunken driving. He and Councilman Rey Saldaña both point to SAPD statistics showing a decrease in drunken-driving arrests they say correlate with the operations of TNCs here.

Police Chief William McManus told the council that there’s no correlation between the two, other than anecdotal evidence. But Saldaña said that while there may not be a causal relationship between the two, there’s still a correlation.

Nirenberg said there’s been a 26 percent drop in drunken driving felony arrests since Uber and Lyft began operating here.

“The proof is in the pudding,” he said. “When we add more choice for transportation on San Antonio roads, we address one of the most significant public safety issues there is in this city, which is drunk driving.”

In his presentation, Baum presented two maps — one depicting TNC pick-ups and another showing drop-offs — that show much of the TNC business occurs along U.S. 281, from downtown to Loop 1604, and on the Northwest Side, around the University of Texas at San Antonio’s main campus.

City Manager Sheryl Sculley told the council that her staff members would continue working with the vehicle-for-hire industries to hammer out recommendations before an expected vote next month.

jbaugh@express-news.net

Twitter: @jbaugh