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For some downtown dwellers, finding a cab can be tricky. Austin resident Lori Prado said she has waited hours before.

"It frustrates me a lot," she said. "I have actually called a friend who was at home. I'm like, 'Hey, I've already been here two hours. It's three or four. Can you just come get me?'"

Yellow Cab President Ed Kargbo knows it's a problem. He says oftentimes dispatch is overwhelmed with calls for pickup, but doesn't have enough drivers to go around.

"We don't want to discourage people from taking taxicabs," he said.

Part of the problem is there is currently no incentive to keep drivers on the road late. Austin's three cab companies helped the city come up with a plan to add $1 fee for each passenger who needs a ride between 9 p.m. and 4 am.

Assistant Transportation Director Gordon Derr hopes it will cut down on the number of people stuck without a safe ride home.

"It's a vital part of our community, meeting basic needs and also servicing our visitors," he said.

Derr said the $1 fee isn't to penalize those trying to get taxicab rides late at night, but rather incentivize drivers to stay out and help during peak times.

The original plan was to charge $2.50 per car load, but Kargbo said cab companies felt that wasn't fair to single riders.

In addition to the fee, he plans to guarantee more than half of his cars will run on late night shifts.

"Part of the solution is, currently, 60-percent of the vehicles in our fleet work during the peak demand time," Kargbo said.

Prado thinks that will help relieve the stress she faces on weekends downtown, but she's mixed about the added cost.

"I guess I'll pay it because I want to get home, but that's kind of ridiculous," Prado said.

The city council will consider the proposed fee at Thursday's meeting. Transportation officials want it to be in place before South by Southwest starts next month.