The generally upward trend in gasoline prices will probably lead the taxicab franchises in Austin to go soon to the city council and ask for fare increases. In the meantime, though, apart from that crimp on profits, drivers are out and very busy.

Early arrivals for the Austin City Limits festival account for plenty of this business, and around the clock. But the one-day walkout at Capital Metro is forcing bus-riders who live away from the major routes to get around by cab.

On a day like this (an ozone day, yet, when bus rides are customarily free) the paucity of buses hurts. It’s interesting to see what Cap Metro considers to be the essential major routes, the ones that must be kept running, no matter what, even if on reduced schedules.

These, by the way, are the ones that run most frequently and the ones that are standing-room only during peak hours and the ones that sometimes must pass people by because they are too full to allow additional passengers to board.