Taxi trips getting more expensive in Atlanta

ATLANTA - It will soon cost more to hail a taxi in Atlanta. 

This month, Atlanta city leaders approved operators to raise rates. 

"It's going to help us out tremendously because we've been struggling a lot," said Schiller Lochard, a cab driver from Atlanta Checker Cab. 

Cab fares will go from $2.50 to $3.50 for the first eighth of a mile and each additional eighth of a mile will go from 25 cents to 30 cents. Waiting time will rise $3 to $24 an hour. Flat rate trips from the airport to Downtown, Midtown or Buckhead will rise 20% and will range from $36 to $48 depending on which area you are heading to.

"It's time for the cab driver to make a pretty decent living," Lochard said. 

Checker Cabs says this increase will be the first one in 18 years. Customers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday say the rate hike makes sense. 

"The price of gas has gone up more than that, so it would be an expectation," said Peggy Bushey. 

The change the city council approved will also add a $10 minimum fare for each trip. Taxi companies like Checker Cab hope the rate increase will help them hire new drivers. 

For Lochard, his vehicle has about 300,000 miles, and he hopes to use the pay bump to help get a new one. At the end of the day, he just wants customers to understand the rate increase is necessary.

"I hope that they all understand that we are in business to make money, for the most part, we're providing a service," he said.

The new fares have not gone into place yet, but that is expected to happen soon.