So, what happens if there's an accident on a road and the cabbie needs to circle around? He eats the extra cost out of his own pocket? The cab company eats it? The government will pay a "road blockage" fee to cab companies?

What happens if a customer wants to stop by a 7-11 to pick up a 24-pack on the way to the hotel? They get charged the flat fee, or they have to go on the meter? What if they change their mind partway through the trip?

Why should someone who arrives at 11am on a Tuesday and cruises to their hotel pay the same as someone who arrives at 7pm Friday night and fights traffic all the way?

Well it works in a lot of other cities (NY and LA, for example), but the cab companies have already shot down this idea in Vegas. Impedes their ability to longhaul, obviously. Can't be having that.

So what do NY/LA cab companies do for the scenarios I asked about?

The questions aren't rhetorical. Seriously, how do you make a flat fee work?

extra charges for each stop

a trip is defined as from a to b, if you want to go to a to b to c you get the flat rate from a to b and then the standard rate frkom b to c.

dc had something similar for years and it was confusing as hell but it worked sort of

They could charge one rate if you want to go anywhere between Mandalay and Stratosphere, things would even themselves out in the end. Or divide the strip up. It wouldn't be much of a logistical challenge. The big difference between Vegas and NY/LA is that the distances are farther in NY/LA. A flat rate from JFK into Manhattan is somewhere near $50 (last I went), so it kind of makes it less relevant whether you want to go to Tribeca or the Upper West Side. Vegas would have to be around $20, so there's more variance as a percentage of the price depending on what end of the strip you are going to. Still, I think it would work except for the screaming of the cab companies.

It's all about averages. Some days, the cabbies put in extra time and distance. Other days it's smooth sailing. But at the end of the month, an average is found.

If you are a poker player, you should be able to understand this concept rather easily. Some days you win, some days you lose. But if you stick with a winning game, you come out ahead in the end, with a decent income.

There was a proposal to make all trips out of the airport to the strip a flat fee of $20--extra stops would be extra money. This was shot down.

In my opinion, the simplest solution would be to post the following sign at the entrance to cab stands at McCarran Airport:

"All strip hotels can be accessed via Paradise road or Tropicana. So instruct your cabbie. The freeway can be much faster, but will add $7 to $14 to the fare."

I doubt something like this will ever happen, because there are ~1400 Taxicabs in Las Vegas and the Taxicab lobby is very powerful. That's why the monorail from the airport never happened.

By the way, there are many, many upstanding and honest cab drivers in Las Vegas.

It could be worse. A cab out of San Jose airport is $15 minimum, even if you only have to go a mile.

Let's do some math here: Assuming you are going from the airport to the Bellagio it is:

6.1 miles via "the tunnel" to 215 and down the strip
8.0 miles via "the tunnel" to 215 to I-15 to Flamingo exit
3.8 miles via paradise/tropicana/strip
3.8 miles via paradise/tropicana/koval/harmon/strip (cab would likely NEVER go this route unless you TELL them to)

That being said, I think the QUICKEST way would be via the tunnel and down I15. I think this goes without saying. You have zero stoplights until you get to the Flamingo exit and flamingo/LV Blvd .

Second quickest and tie for shortest would be the route of paradise/trop/koval/harmon. Any time you can take Koval vs LV Blvd you are going to save time.

Third quickest and tie for shortest is paradise/trop to the strip. But you are going to hit that light at MGM, and the one at trop/strip and every light on the strip.

The combo of longest+slow is tunnel and then all the way down the strip. This route would be the absolute WORST route for the traveler.

Remember you are charged a fee PER MILE, plus a fee per minute and when you are sitting in traffic that meter keeps running even when you are not moving. I kind of doubt that "7-15$ extra" figure if you go all the way on the interstate, but I could be wrong. I just hate sitting in traffic and I would rather pay a couple extra dollars than sit in a smelly cab.

Another racket is never use a credit card in a cab, they (in vegas anyway) have a 4$ surcharge for using a credit card... BS

If you are really worried about getting overcharged and longhauled the best way to combat this issue is to just take the cheaper shuttles. The big downside is that they will take 3x-4x longer (depending how many stops) to get to your hotel than a cab but they will be on avg 3x-4x cheaper. Or you can take the shuttle one way and on your way back take a taxi...it really takes some balls to longhaul on the way TO the airport but I have heard people who have done it.

LAS to Encore. Got to see all of Vegas and the fare was north of $35. Didn't say anything the whole time, just enjoyed the view. When we pulled up to Encore I handed him $15 and asked whether or not I should call the authorities or if he would prefer to take $15 and be on his way. The offer was accepted.

I have a label printer, and I can easily envision people printing up their own labels to stick in the back of cabs, stating that if the driver takes you through the tunnel to get to the Strip, call this number.

Well played.

It's $3.

It's $3, and a lot of people love the convenience--others wouldn't even dream of it.