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Boise Takes Up Compromise Taxi Ordinance

Taxis wait for pasengers at Boise's airport
Adam Cotterell
/
Boise State Public Radio
Taxis wait for pasengers at Boise's airport

The city of Boise has revived its proposed overhaul of taxi ordinances after making changes requested by drivers.

With 24 cars ABC is one of Boise’s largest taxi companies. Tom Walker owns it. He objects to Boise’s proposed rule changes even though he says he’s already doing most of them. That includes the requirement that cabs take credit and debit cards.

 “I’m still trying to figure out why city hall thinks they have to micro manage this business." Walker says, "We’re told what we can wear, how much we can charge, where we can operate, now they’re going to tell us what kind of transactions we have to take.”

Walker says one rule that will hit him directly is the seven year age limit on new taxis. The last version had a five year age limit. City spokesman Adam Park says they added two years in response to driver requests.

 “They say a good compromise is when no one’s happy." Park says, "We understand that there’s going to be a certain level of displeasure, but in order to have good taxi service you do have to have a certain level of regulation.”

Park says the city made other concessions and even the seven year limit has a number of exemptions for older cars.

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