Yellow Cab Closes In Lubbock, Safe Ride’s Future Undeterminable

The Yellow Cab Company of Lubbock closed its’ doors on Sunday morning, leaving Lubbock without a taxi service.

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According to an automated message that plays when customers call the Yellow Cab Company, the business is closing after 35 years of service. The owner, Jim Sexton, is retiring after 50 years in the business.

The Yellow Cab Company was the partner of the Student Government Association Safe Ride program. Students pay for Safe Ride services through tuition, meaning every undergraduate student at Texas Tech University has access to a free ride.

Chris Cook, managing director of communications and marketing at Tech, said they were notified of Yellow Cab’s closure on Friday. He said administration is exploring options to continue Safe Ride.

SGA president, Hayden Hatch, said he hopes students will use other transportation outlets in Lubbock.

“At this time, the SGA is expeditiously exploring all options and resources to address the sudden loss of Yellow Cab’s support for the SGA Safe Ride program, alongside Texas Tech University,” Hatch said in a statement. “In the meantime, we encourage students to take advantage of the Citibus routes throughout Lubbock, which are free with a valid student ID. We also urge students to practice responsibility and utilize the SGA S-Bus program which runs from 11 p.m. – 3 a.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night.”

Attempts to contact the Lubbock Police Department about the potential increase in alcohol related offenses went unanswered at this time.

An alternative to taxi services is Uber. Uber launched in Lubbock in June and has been successful, according to Pooneet Kant. Kant is the Uber associate general manager for Texas.

Kant said Uber is an internationally successful ride-sharing service. Uber works through a smartphone application, where users can request transportation services from a local driver. You can also request a driver through the Uber website. Uber’s drivers must be 21 years old, pass a background check and receive many hours of training before they are certified to drive for the company. All money transactions are completed through the application, so customers cannot be overcharged.

“We actually have a lot of graduate students and people like that working for us,” Kant said. “So I think it has been very beneficial for Lubbock.”

In a phone interview, Kant said many of Uber customers are college students looking for a safe ride home. He said after 10 p.m. is the busiest time for the Lubbock drivers. After being told about the Safe Ride program and the current issue with transportation providers, Kant said he thinks Uber would be interested in partnering with Tech to fill the occupancy.

“…Uber is definitely interested in talking with Texas Tech about a potential partnership.

“I think it sounds like a really great program,” Kant said, “and Uber is definitely interested in talking with Texas Tech about a potential partnership.”

The future of Safe Ride is expected to be determined in the near future.

About Sarah Self-Walbrick

Graduate Executive Director — Mass Communication Graduate Student, Class of 2017
Sarah, a Lubbock native, has two bachelor of art degrees in electronic media and communication and journalism, and is pursuing a master's in mass communications. She loves Texas, her husband and dog, and good storytelling.