At Public Hearing over Taxicab Issue, Emotions Go High

After listening to emphatic appeals on Tuesday from proponents and opponents of a new taxicab ordinance at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the Metropolitan Airports Commission has to make a decision on whether to adopt the proposed changes or to stay with the current policy.

Under the current rules, drivers who refuse to serve customers for a reason other than safety will have to return to the back of the line, which often takes more than three hours to get the next fare. The new ordinance, proposed by the airport staff, calls for the suspension of the license of the driver who refuses service for 30 days at the first offense and revocation of the license for two years at the second offense.

At an emotional public hearing on Tuesday, dozens of drivers said the new rules are unnecessary punitive measures against them. Several blind people with guide dogs also testified in favor of the new ordinance.

Drivers reiterated that they don’t have a problem with service dogs.

MAC will make a final decision sometime in April.

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