LAS VEGAS >> Regulators in Nevada have approved a flat-rate fare schedule for taxi trips from McCarran International Airport to three zones on the Las Vegas Strip.

The state Taxicab Authority on Thursday unanimously approved a six-month pilot program, beginning Jan. 1, for an industry facing competition from ride-hailing services and criticism about “long-hauling,” or drivers taking roundabout routes to add miles and pad fares.

Authority administrator Scott Whittemore tells the Las Vegas Review-Journal that 84% of taxi trips in Las Vegas are from the airport to Strip hotels.

Flat fares will range from $19 to the zone closest to the airport, to $23 for the heart of the Strip, and $27 for a ride to the Stratosphere tower.

Whittemore says the fare structure provides cost certainty and transparency for passengers.