San Diego Cracks Down on Taxi Safety

The City of San Diego has taken action to crack down on taxicabs that do not meet safety regulations. In field inspections that were started last year, approximately 85% of all taxicabs inspected did not meet health and safety requirements.

“That’s unacceptable,” said John Scott, Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) taxicab administrator. “We need to see the numbers drop, and we need to see them drop substantially.”

MTS regulates taxicabs outside San Diego, in cities including El Cajon, La Mesa and Poway, but the proposed regulations would apply only to taxis in San Diego proper. The regulations, if approved, would give MTS inspectors the authority to suspend or revoke operating permits for offenses that currently only result in a warning. While most of the offenses are for safety violations, the most common a failure to participate in annual inspections of the vehicles, MTS also wants to crack down on cab drivers who do not maintain adequate insurance or fail to provide customers a complete receipt.

According to Scott, it is time provide the public with an assurance of safety. “You’re not going to get off with a warning anymore,” he said. “Basically, the hand-slapping days are over.”

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

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