Wasilla mayor to take aim at city’s taxi operators

WASILLA — Taking a taxi instead of driving yourself may be an act of convenience or, if you’ve had a few too many adult libations, the responsible thing to do. When you climb into that cab to get from Point A to Point B, are you as protected as you may believe?

In some cases, you’re not, said Wasilla Mayor Verne Rupright. In fact, as the proliferation of so-called “gypsy” taxi drivers in the city rises, so does the potential for accidents. And that many of those one-person gypsy operations may not have the correct auto insurance to operate a taxi could have devastating consequences, he said.

“We have more taxi carriers in the city of Wasilla than in the past,” he said. “What we have found is there’s a number of cabs that service the public in Wasilla that are not in compliance with the common carrier insurance.”

Unlike a person’s normal auto insurance, common carrier coverage is required if a vehicle is being used to transport people for pay, he said. If passengers are injured in a taxi accident and that cab doesn’t have the proper insurance, they will likely be on their own to pay medical costs.

“It’s simple,” Rupright said. “A person cannot take a fare for hire without proper insurance in the vehicle. Unlike carpooling, if someone puts themselves out as a carrier, like a bus or taxi, there is different insurance required.”

That’s why Rupright said he’s preparing to introduce an ordinance to Wasilla City Council calling for taxis operating within city limits be required to have carrier insurance. If not, drivers and cab companies could be cited and fined.

“We want to make sure the public has some modicum of protection,” the mayor said, adding the city doesn’t want to charge taxi operators or issue a special license to operate in the city.

What he does want is for drivers and taxis operating in city limits to stop by the Wasilla Police Department and show they have the proper driver’s license and insurance. If they do, the city will give them a sticker to put in their back window that tells police on patrol that they’re good to go. Taxis without that sticker could be pulled over and asked to show proof of carrier insurance, Rupright said.

“It’s strictly a public protection thing,” he said of the ordinance. “It’s just a sticker for their back windshield or something. … This is something that’s been noticed by police and some other cabs that have been long established. As a city government, we are actually paying attention to these things.”

Should the mayor’s ordinance go through, it would be a welcome change for legitimate taxi operations, said Sherry Tilton, owner of Mat-Su Independent Taxi based in Wasilla.

“I guarantee you, our cars don’t even move out of the driveway without the right insurance on them,” said Tilton, who’s been in business 11 years. “You have to in case someone gets in a wreck. We actually had that happen to us about six years ago. A driver got into an accident and the customer got hurt — not seriously — and the insurance paid for all the medical.”

If that had happened in a taxi that only had regular auto insurance, it would have been a different story, Tilton said.

“As a matter of fact, say Joe Blow goes out and charges people to take them home from a bar,” she said. “They get in a wreck and someone gets hurt. Not only would that insurance not cover it, it would become null and void.”

Whether a cab has the proper insurance usually isn’t in the minds of people when they get into a taxi, Rupright said.

“When you hire somebody to deliver you safely, your expectation is it’s all covered,” he said. “All it takes is one negligent act or incident and you’re crippled and can’t work again.”

Although many people aren’t fans of more government regulation, Tilton said the upcoming Wasilla ordinance is needed.

“Every cab company out there should have legitimate commercial insurance on their cab,” she said. “We pay a lot of money for our insurance, and to think that somebody’s out there not paying for it and trying to undercut people trying to do it the right way (is frustrating).”

Rupright said he’s putting the finishing touches on his proposed ordinance and expects to introduce it to city council soon.

Contact Greg Johnson at 352-2269 or greg.johnson@frontiersman.com.