By: Sharon Aron Baron
Broward County Commissioner Stacy Ritter issued a statement on Monday saying she has crafted a proposal that will create a Broward County Accountable Taxi Ordinance. The proposed ordinance is designed to address the many concerns that have been raised by the taxi industry and Transportation Network Companies over the last several months.
Ritter, whose district covers Coral Springs, Parkland and Tamarac said that the proposed plan includes the creation of a website where taxi passengers would rate their experience in real time or at a later date and be able to access information about the taxi driver using a Q-code that could be scanned using a cell phone.
“The new requirements will provide a simple, high tech way to assure that the taxi industry in Broward County rises to world-class levels and provides our visitors and residents the best in clean competent taxi service,” said Commissioner Ritter.
Transportation Network Companies would have to comply with current county regulations that require licensing, fees for picking up passengers at the airport and seaport and advanced background checks, but the names of drivers would only be made public if they failed to meet security standards.
The proposal also requires the County to provide a $500,000 umbrella insurance policy that will cover the County’s liability in the event that a TNC driver is involved in an accident or criminal activity while transporting a passenger in a fare producing ride.
“The required insurance will provide a cushion for all residents to guarantee that if the TNC fails to make claims payments as required by Florida law, users of the TNC will have another option for relief,” said Commissioner Ritter.