04:51 PM CDT on Wednesday, July 13, 2005

By Janice Williamson / 11 News

Another controversy is brewing at City Hall where taxi cab drivers and limo owners are lining up on opposite sides of a proposed rate hike.

KHOU

Limo drivers don't want to raise their rates, but they may not have a choice.

At Houston's biggest airport, change is in the air. Catching a ride will cost more if the City Council approves a proposal to jack up fares for both limousines and taxis.

Houston cabbies haven't seen a fare increase in more than three years while the price of gas has done nothing but go up.

Yellow Cab is supporting a fare increase that makes $43 the minimum for a run to the airport from anywhere.

"The number one cost of drivers is gasoline and gasoline is up 50 percent over the last four years," said Raymond Turner with Yellow Cab.

Richard Mishriky tells us the current rate of $50 for a limo ride is fair. The proposed 50 percent increase could price him out of business.

"We're going to lose a lot of corporate clients who are not expecting an increase," he said.

The Limousine Association argues fares should be what the market will bear -- not what City Council wants it to be.

"We'd like to see reason prevail in Houston. Reasonable people should agree -- let's not price ourselves out of the market for conventions and tourism," said Joe Jordan, Limousine Association President.

Whatever the city decides, it will load down limo and cab customers where the rubber hits the road.