LAS VEGAS, NV — They cruise the traffic clogged Strip like great ships of state; their well-lit and enormous signs alerting those along the sidewalks about pleasures to be found elsewhere via a simple telephone call or strip club visit. Like the clumps of Hispanic leaflet hawkers repeatedly slapping paper against palm and urging pedestrians to take a handful, the mobile billboard have become a tawdry but familiar part of the infamous Las Vegas Strip. If the city’s cab drivers get their way, however, traffic is going to get a wee bit lighter. According to cab drivers in the city, not all traffic on the Strip is equal – and some of it is making it more difficult for them to make a living.
“There are about 200 trucks clogging up the Strip,” driver George Zeigner told In Business Las Vegas, “I’m not even sure if trucks are even supposed to use the Strip, but I know those mobile billboards result in a lot of congestion.”
While cab drivers usually air their grievances with the Nevada Taxicab Authority, a growing number have vowed to take them to a higher power this time: the Clark County Commissioner’s office.
After the March 25th meeting of the Taxicab Authority, Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani received phone calls from a number of her constituents, all concerned about the affect of mobile billboards upon traffic patterns. Giunchigliani considers the matter well worth investigating.
“I want to look at the whole thing,” she explains, as she gathers information and ponders whether stepping up enforcement would be sufficient, or whether new ordinances are necessary. As Giunchigliani sees it, the issue isn’t simply about traffic jams, but also “clearly a safety, traffic, congestion, and air quality issue.” Among the details Giunchigliani plans to investigate is the brightness of the signs in question, in case that compromises driver safety.
Giunchigliani is encouraging the public to provide her with information and opinions while she checks to see what other states have done. Although she realizes that some have banned mobile billboards entirely, she insists that “I’m still looking at everything before making any decisions about them.”
Marla Letizia is the president of Big Traffic, the biggest provider of Southern Nevada mobile billboards. In her opinion, the solution to the problem is better enforcement of already existing laws.
“I’ve been asking for better enforcement for years,” she told In Business Las Vegas, adding that the majority of problems stem from unlicensed out-of-market competitors who carpet the Strip during conventions. Even with these rogues on the road, Letizia believes that the 200 trucks estimate is exceptionally high. Her company only has 13 trucks – and it’s the largest to operate in Clark County.
Nonetheless, the majority of criticism has been heaped Letizia’s way — in spite of the fact she helped draft the original county ordinance being used to regulate mobile billboards.
The problems do not stem from her trucks, she insists, but from those clearly and regularly in violation of ordinances. For instance, although an ordinance clearly states that “No vehicle shall display or exhibit any signage that contains moving or flashing lights or animation of any kind,” she says she sees such signs on a regular basis along the Strip. Additionally, Letizia worries about the risks of trucks that illuminate their signs with gasoline or diesel powered generators, given the potential damage that might result from a collision or an accident during high winds.
While content is king, Big Traffic is choosy about what it promotes, eschewing anything related to escort services or strip clubs in order to avoid confusion about the legal status of prostitution in Clark County. Letizia believes that if more companies held to her content standards, at least a few problems related to the mobile billboards would be resolved.
Past attempts to boost enforcement against companies that repeatedly violate ordinances has been lethargic, but on March 31st, 200 drivers and supporters demonstrated with signs and leaflets along Las Vegas Boulevard and Fashion Show Lane in hopes of raising the issues visibility prior to the authority board’s annual summer review.
Ironically, the city received complaints about the protest – all related to traffic congestion and blocked roadways.
