The City Council passed by a 5-0 vote Monday night an ordinance that will require taxi operators to obtain and pay for outside mechanical inspections of their vehicles and relieve the city of the responsibility for such inspections.
The owners of taxis seeking city licenses will still be required to pay the city $73 annually for each taxi. This breaks down to $43 for the license and $30 for three annual, less-thorough inspections by the police department. The city could not estimate the cost of the outside mechanic’s inspection.
An existing requirement that taxis generally be less than 3 years old was stricken from the licensing procedure as a result of Monday night’s vote. But cabs must be “clean, fit, of good appearance and well painted,” according to the new ordinance.
During the application process, taxi owners will be required to present to police their vehicles, along with an inspection report from a state-licensed facility, usually an area mechanic.
The city now issues 49 licenses for taxis owned by two companies.