City hearings focus on taxicab policy

Photo used under a Creative Commons license courtesy Ooznu. 

Kansas City residents have an opportunity to get involved in discussion of the future of the taxicab industry in Kansas City.

The city will hold public hearings tomorrow in two locations on Kansas City’s Taxicab Code Analysis. City Council members and City staff will be at the meetings to listen to public recommendations and comments.

The city has provided this background on the issues to be discussed:

Residents are invited to participate in the conversation on City ordinances which preserve the current diverse, vibrant and competitive transportation and taxi cab industry, including transportation networking companies.

Residents are encouraged to share strategies that may be recommended to the City Council to allow transportation providers equal and fair access to passengers; allow women and minority-owned businesses to grow and thrive; promote and protect the public health, safety and welfare of our citizens and visitors; promote a strong, viable, and competitive private sector taxi and livery industry that will improve affordable passenger transportation mobility; and help to prevent unfair, deceptive or predatory practices. The City Council is also seeking a review of transportation networking companies to ensure that the City is adopting regulations that will support advances in technology and the transportation industry.

Details
Public hearings

• Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014; 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m., City North Community Center, 3930 N.E. Antioch Road
• Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014; 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Southeast Community Center, 4201 East 63rd Street
• Residents may also submit comments online through participation in the KC Momentum discussion.