By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Officials at Lambert Airport met with owners and mangers of area taxicab businesses Friday.
This summer, the companies will have a chance to bid on a contract to handle nearly all airport taxi service.
Now, about eight cab companies can wait for passengers at Lambert. But Deputy Airport Director Gerard Slay says that will soon change.
"In the future we'll operate with one company," Slay said. "And it will provide a good passenger service. It'll allow us to streamline the complaint process because we only have to go to one person. We're going to increase the quality of the cabs."
Slay says several companies will still be able to pick up passengers who call for a ride. But only the winning bidder will be able to take walk-up customers.
Many cabbies don't like the plan. They say giving the majority of Lambert's taxi business to one company favors larger firms.