Board of Supervisors Approve Taxi Regulations in Unincorporated County

By Bay City News Service

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved measures to regulate taxi companies and cab drivers in the unincorporated areas of the county.

There are an estimated 110 taxis operated by 34 companies in the county, but the county's measures apply only to cab operators who solicit, accept or transport passengers at a staring point in the unincorporated area of the county.

A second reading on the proposed ordinance is scheduled for April 23. It will take effect 90 days later, but the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office will not begin enforcing the ordinance until October to allow time for public outreach and education.

The ordinance addresses safety concerns by requiring both a taxi vehicle permit and a taxi driver's permit. The permits are valid for one year and must be renewed annually. The Board of Supervisors will set the permit application and renewal fees.

Several of the county's nine cities have enacted taxi vehicle and driver regulations that address public safety issues. Cab companies and drivers that operate in those cities may apply for a certificate of exemption from the county ordinance if the permit provisions in the city's ordinance are similar to those in the county's ordinance.

Under the county's ordinance, cab drivers who apply for a permit must be over age 18 and have a valid California driver's license. They will be required to provide fingerprints, agree to a background check by the sheriff's office and take a mandatory controlled substance and alcohol test within 30 days of the application for a permit.

Cab companies applying for vehicle permits must produce valid California vehicle registration and evidence of ownership, disclose their rates and fees, and have their cabs inspected and certified at a licensed vehicle inspection station or repair garage in the county. Cab companies also must produce written certification that they are maintaining a mandatory controlled substance and alcohol testing program for cab operators.

Sheriff's Lt. Tim Duke told the supervisors there have been only a handful of taxi-related crimes in the county over the past several years.

Deputy County Counsel Anne Keck said cab operators who attended an informational meeting in January favored the provisions of the ordinance. "They want to comply with the regulations. They're not shirking this," Keck said.