Top mayoral aide says Chicago's struggling taxi cab industry needs a fare hike

Chicago’s struggling taxicab industry needs a fare hike, top mayoral aide says – Chicago Sun-Times

Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced the cab fare hike without fanfare in late September while public attention was focused on the battle over his 2026 budget. The mayor’s plan would maintain the cost of entering a cab, known as the “flag pull,” at $3.25 for the first one-ninth of a mile, but provide substantial relief for cab drivers in other ways.

Top mayoral aide says Chicago's struggling taxi cab industry needs a fare hike

Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Commissioner Ivan Capifali essentially urged the City Council to approve the cab fare hike that Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced without fanfare in late September.

Chicago’s struggling taxicab industry needs a fare hike, top mayoral aide says

Chicago needs to raise taxicab fares for the first time since 2016 to save a once-thriving industry decimated by ridesharing and the pandemic, a top mayoral aide said Thursday. “The taxi industry is very dear to us. It has a lot of value in Chicago. It was here before” Uber and Lyft, Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Commissioner Ivan Capifali told the Chicago Sun-Times. “We want to make sure that they survive.” Capifali essentially urged…