| Cab Franchises |
Cab companies will now have on the way to battle for the rights toward pick up customers in Santa Monica after the City Council will establish a more stringent licensing system toward relieve a notoriously overcrowded taxi population. The new franchise structure, which will legitimately take effect after the council supports it upon a procedural second reading, creates a competitive bidding process for a cab license, a major shift from the existing open-entry system in which all operators who get together insurance in addition to other basic necessities are allowed toward conduct business in the city. The franchise system is probable toward cut the number of cabs by more than half. Between one and eight company will take delivery of a franchise agreement. In order toward even meet the requirements for a franchise license, companies must meet a set of criteria, such as have a smallest amount fleet size of 25 vehicles, operate a central dispatching system, as well as have drivers who are proficient in English. |
| The bidding process determination is prearranged on the way to give weight toward companies that are local, use SULEV or other fuel-efficient cars as well as offer discounts on the way to seniors as well as persons with mobility problems. The proposal for a franchise structure came after the Task Force on the Environment in 2006 suggested the development of a regulation that creates a franchise system awarding licenses toward companies whose cars meet certain emission as well as mileage standards. A study by Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates follow two years later, finding that at the time, there were 412 cars control by 55 companies in the city. Some taxi company owners asked that council believe a medallion system, which impose a cap on the number of cars but allows motor vehicle licenses toward be automatically renewed as well as transferred or sold toward other cab drivers as long as city officials determine so as to the new owner meets qualifications. The system is used in New York, Boston and San Francisco. |