Lynn down to three cab companies

LYNN – The local taxi industry has shrunk to three companies with All City Taxi owner Mike Cole?s decision to sell his five city medallions to Union Taxi.?I?m retiring; I?ve got two grandkids,” Cole said in explaining why he is going out of business.Union Taxi – the smallest of the three local cab companies – expands its fleet to 15 cabs with the medallion purchase.Owner Danilo Diroche formerly leased 10 city-issued medallions from Tom?s Taxi before buying the medallions from Tom?s. The City Council approved the purchases in June and gave Diroche permission this month to buy Cole?s five medallions.Union Taxi Director Carlos Pacheco said Diroche asked Cole to sell his medallions after realizing Union could provide faster service to Lynn customers if it expanded its cab fleet to 15 cars.?We say ?thanks? to Mike. We need more medallions,” Pacheco said.North Shore Latino Business Association Director Frances Martinez said the change in Diroche?s business from a company leasing medallions to a 15-cab operator is dramatic, even though Union Taxi runs fewer than a third of the cabs crisscrossing the city every day.?It?s a big step for them and the community,” she said.Councilors this month also approved an expanded pickup and drop-off partnership between the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and Greater Lynn Senior Services.GLSS drivers currently provide seniors rides around Lynn in the agency?s blue-and-white vans. Director Paul Crowley said the partnership with the T will expand the rides to include “on-demand, individualized service” that will be cheaper for riders than other transportation options.Crowley said GLSS will assign three vehicles from its fleet to the pilot program and earlier this month addressed Councilor William Trahant Jr.?s concerns about the program potentially taking away business from local taxi companies.?We will be providing on-demand cab service,” he told councilors.?You are not taking any business from anyone in the city?” Trahant asked.?Absolutely not,” Crowley said.