Only at very slow times will a passenger have to call for a cab. Austin's taxi services are regulated by the city, which requires companies to operate both smoking and nonsmoking cabs plus wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Taxi service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Taxis cruise downtown, particularly around the capitol area. Reponse time, especially downtown, is very good.
Cabbies accept cash and credit cards.
There are more than two dozen limousine operators in Austin, and, like taxi cab companies, they are regulated by city ordinances governing safety and business practices. Most also add service and gratuity charges, usually 15 percent each, and many also charge more during the peak spring prom season and on holidays such as Halloween and New Year's Eve. The limo business is highly competitive, and there is frequent turnover. Several large chains also operate in Austin. For a complete listing, check the Yellow Pages.