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Massena village board willing to work with cab companies to bring back 24-hour service

Posted 1/23/20

BY ANDY GARDNER North Country This Week MASSENA -- The village board has signaled they are open to working with two local cab companies to get 24-hour cab service. Bruce Green from Green Cab Company …

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Massena village board willing to work with cab companies to bring back 24-hour service

Posted

BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

MASSENA -- The village board has signaled they are open to working with two local cab companies to get 24-hour cab service.

Bruce Green from Green Cab Company and Steven Zakarauskas from Massena Transport both said the rate mandated by local law, $5.35 per trip inside the village, isn’t enough for them to fund a 24-hour operation.

They said most of their competition is from outside medical transportation services, ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft, and drivers who don’t have a cab license giving rides for cash.

"I've probably lost tens of thousands of dollars and said ‘enough’ to operating 24 hours,” Zakarauskas said. “I've got to keep bologna in my fridge too."

Although he wouldn’t go into details, Zakarauskas said he has a plan to start operating later, but possibly not around the clock.

"We are developing a plan so we can work longer hours. Technology is going to be a part of it. I'm not ready to disclose what it is yet. I know the board members and the chief are aware of where I'm going with this. It still doesn't give us 24-hour coverage. But it's pretty close. If the money's there, I'm willing to expand it,” he told the board.

Deputy Mayor Matt Lebire said they are willing to work with the cab owners on a rate increase, but elected officials want the business owners to give them a specific proposal.

"We’re willing to look at and listen to specific proposals...I haven't received any,” he said. "I would throw that suggestion out there ... [that a proposed rate increase be] fair to the consumer but makes these nighttime businesses more profitable.

"This board is never just going to pull something out of the air and decide arbitrarily to make a change to a code," Lebire said.