An ongoing feud between the Texas A&M University student-run Carpool and taxi cab companies in College Station has been alleviated after a meeting Dec. 3 between the two sides and College Station Police Department.
Taxicab companies and Carpool have operated concurrently without problems since the organization was founded in 1999. However, companies have been complaining Carpool is stealing business by offering free rides to the community.
Multiple incidents on Northgate between Carpool drivers and taxicab drivers caused the College Station Police Department to intervene and settle the matter. The Director of Public Relations for Carpool Rebecca Orth, a senior health major, said the two sides are beginning to see eye-to-eye.
"I kind of felt like the taxi companies felt like we were out to get them, but that is not the case at all," Orth said. "Our goal is to get the drunk drivers off the road so if they end up in their car or our car then our mission is accomplished."
Orth believes one of the main problems was communication. Many of the taxicab representatives at the meeting thought Carpool was a free taxi that not only picked people up from Northgate, but also brought them to Northgate.
"One of the main problems was that the taxi companies had never talked to us," Orth said. "Half the companies didn't even realize that we only take people home."
Carpool is an organization of 350 student volunteers who offer free rides to anyone in the Bryan-College Station community. The organization is intended to prevent people from driving home intoxicated from a party, Northgate or anywhere else.
Carpool gives people who call requesting rides to Northgate information of other taxi companies that can help them. Carpool Chairwoman Rebecca Cain, a senior agricultural business major said a plan is being worked out, and the relationship is beginning to mend.
"We are just trying to come up with a compromise because we know that we all want to still have business off of Northgate," Cain said. "After our meeting at the police department I felt really good."
Carpool keeps their cars in a parking lot behind Northgate, and Cain said the problems arise when a taxi and Carpool arrive at the same place. A temporary solution to share the roads on Northgate was discussed during the meeting and is in effect.
Cain said the College Station Police made it clear Carpool is here to stay despite rumors the taxi companies were trying to shut the service down. Carpool driver Lindsey Dean, a sophomore communication major, said she has heard these rumors and it would be a bad thing for the people of College Station if Carpool was shut down.
"I can understand it for them because it's how they get money, but we are trying to do a good thing here," Dean said. "We are trying to a good thing here and I think we are a great organization."
