Student Senate discussed how the University should regulate cab service on campus at their meeting Wednesday, building on a meeting student body president Bob Reish, vice president Grant Schmidt and Senate Community Relations committee chair Gus Gari had with Notre Dame Security Police (NDSP).
"We communicated what we think the major issues with cabs are [at the meeting]," Gari said. "We saw that there have been many students complaining that on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday taxi drivers are overcharging and some of the taxi drivers are being rude."
Gari said while there is little student government can do to change the practices of South Bend cab drivers, they can ban certain cab companies from coming to campus.
"We can't regulate customer service aspects, but we can regulate what cabs can come on campus," Gari said.
Gari said they discussed the idea of a universal flat rate for all students as well as placing cab stands somewhere near North and South Quads as possible ways to regulate the taxis.
"Only companies that entered into negotiations with the University could come on campus," he proposed.
Many senators agreed that a flat rate would be a welcome remedy to haggling with difficult cab drivers.
"I like the idea of a flat rate," Alumni senator Zach Reuvers said. "I've had a lot of problems negotiating cab prices depending on where you're going."
Cavanaugh senator Robin Link said one of the best ways to advertise approved cab companies would be to post fliers listing those companies' numbers in the dorm entrances.
Senate Academic Affairs committee chair Ryan Brellenthin agreed the best companies should be advertised, and suggested an online rating system for different drivers and companies "so it's not so much regulated by the administration but more by [the students]."
In other Senate news:
u Schmidt announced that student government's mock election, scheduled for Oct. 7, will be conducted via voting booths stationed outside of DeBartolo Hall, LaFortune Student Center and North and South Dining Halls, as opposed to with an online ballot. Students can go to one of these stations to cast their vote.
u The Student Senate unanimously approved a new amendment which places all executive titles underneath the same heading. Previously, the job descriptions for student body president and vice president were under their own heading, but now descriptions of all 7 executive positions will be organized underneath Article II of the constitution.
