Puking in a cab could cost you $100

AUSTIN (KXAN) - If you party hard in Austin, either learn to hold your liquor or prepare to pay a taxi clean-up fee. The City Council is working to create a measure that would help ease that messy burden on taxi drivers.

"Unfortunately what happens too often is that there is someone getting sick in a cab, especially folks going home late at night after being out partying and all,” said Councilwoman Laura Morrison.

If you do get sick in a cab, the proposed fee is $100. The Council agreed to let staff look into the best way to enforce the measure, as an easy method has yet to be determined.

Late-night taxis also might soon cost you a little more. The Council gave first approval to an extra dollar per passenger if taxis drive between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. This differed from an earlier proposal of $2.50 “peak hour surcharge,” which was shelved Thursday for the newer version.

The move is an effort to get more taxis on the road. It has to go to the city's Urban Transportation Commission now, so members can get input from taxi drivers on the amount proposed.

The proposal should come back to the Council next week for possible final approval.