The Raleigh City Council voted unanimously today to approve amendments to the City’s taxicab ordinance. The council’s Law and Public Safety Committee recommended approval of the amendments. The changes take effect in five days, on Nov. 8.
Following are some of the major amendments:
When a taxicab fails inspection, the City’s taxicab inspector will provide the driver with written notice that the cab should not be operated until it passes inspection;
The first civil penalty for any violation of the taxicab ordinance will be increased from $50 to $100. In addition, civil penalties must be paid in full within 15 days instead of within 30 days. If the penalty remains unpaid after the 15-day period, the City will revoke the permits of the taxicab owner and/or driver until the penalty is paid in full;
All cab driver applicants who have criminal charges pending will not be eligible for employment until the charges have either been dismissed or acquitted. This does not apply to traffic infractions;
The City will suspend or revoke for one year the driver’s permit for a cab driver or owner who has committed three successive violations of the taxicab ordinance within a 12-month period;
The fee for annual/semiannual inspections will be raised to $15 starting on Jan. 1, 2011. It will then increase to $25 effective Jan. 1, 2012. A penalty fee of $150 will be assessed against the taxicab owner for failing to appear at a scheduled annual/semi-annual inspection without prior approval from the City’s taxicab inspector; and,
The fee to apply for a taxicab company owner’s permit will be increased to $150. This will be a one-time fee charged to new taxicab companies that start business in Raleigh following the Nov. 8 effective date of the amended taxicab ordinance.
Prepared by:
John Boyette
Public Affairs Specialist
Public Affairs Department
For More Information Contact:
Ashby Ray
Police Legal Advisor
Police Department
110 South McDowell Street
Raleigh, NC 27602
919-996-3340
