As local taxi companies compete with ride sharing apps and adapt to COVID guidelines, drivers are working to stay on the roads.

Tompkins County cab companies are particularly hard hit as they only first competed with ride sharing apps three years ago. Now they're fighting what seems to be an uphill battle to adapt to COVID regulation as business slows.

ASAP Cab Company in Ithaca tells me they've especially seen a decrease in calls relating to nightlife and doctors visits. 

These declines come on top of a general drop in business due to COVID related concerns from passengers. To combat this ASAP Cab Company installed plastic shields between the driver and passengers as well as sanitize their vehicles after each ride.

But the companys manager says despite these practices, they're still seeing a drastic drop in business due to closed bars, lesser travel, and more popularized virtual doctors visits.

"Medicaid transportation you know, before COVID hit we were averaging anywhere from the high 20s to the even 40s a day and when COVID hit, [now] we're seeing between 10 and 15 a day," ASAP Cab Company General Manager Joshua Carmack said, "We're to the point where we shut down night shift. It's not beneficial. The amount for maintenance, fuel, and drivers pay, we're not seeing nothing. So we cut out night shift all together."

To subsidize some of their losses, ASAP Cabs has partnered with Tompkins County to provide transportation to and from the Ithaca COVID testing facility.
ASAP Cabs reports that these rides will be free for passengers once they schedule a testing appointment and call 211 to request the ride.