An area taxi company is seeking fares within the city this week after successfully flagging down a city cab company license, the first issued in nine years.
City Council members voted 7-1 last week to approve the license for Beach Cab Co. Last April, aldermen granted a rezoning request to the company for construction of a cab stand at Belvidere Street and Sheridan Road.
Meanwhile, the council is looking at ways to beef up the city’s cab ordinance to keep local cabbies honest.
Ald. Larry TenPas, chairman of the council’s Judiciary Committee, said one improvement being considered is to set standard fares and posting them on the outside of cab doors. A cab company’s license fee also may be based on the number of cabs it operates, he said.
Beach Cab, owned by Barry May, is the fifth company to possess a Waukegan taxi company license. The other licenses are held by ABC Cab, and Black and White, Checker and Yellow cabs, all of which are owned by Lake County Transportation Co.
Ald. James Petkus cast the sole dissenting vote, accusing Beach Cab drivers of seeking fares in the city without a license. Company officials denied the charges in previous council meetings.
