Create a regional license for taxis

THE AUG. 11 editorial ("Boston's cab conundrum") doesn't mention another remedy that should be considered, which is the regionalization of taxicab licensing. The current method in which each city and town licenses its own cabs prevents the cabs from picking up fares in locations outside of the home location.

I don't think there are any metropolitan areas anywhere else in the world that have such a system. This situation results in empty cabs driving back to the home city - something that is bad for everyone. It means longer waits for cabs because ones that are nearby cannot be used, wasted fuel, increased pollution, and cab owners/drivers not earning money while driving empty vehicles.

I've certainly encountered the inconvenience of longer waits at Logan because I can't take one of those empty Cambridge or Somerville cabs for my trip to Cambridge.

Cabs are a backup system for users of public transportation. Occasionally when I've waited too long for a No. 1 bus between Cambridge and Boston I would happily flag a passing cab from the "wrong" city if I could.

As complex as it is - particularly because it requires a new degree of cooperation of government bodies in the different communities - it's time to address this issue. Doing so would improve customer service, save fuel costs that someone has to pay for, and help the environment as well.

JOHN W. GINTELL
Cambridge