Iowa City police seek more taxi rules after sexual assaults

By Gregg Hennigan, The Gazette

IOWA CITY Iowa Citys police chief wants more regulations on taxis to improve public safety, but some owners of taxi companies are protesting the financial effect that would have on them.

I dont know why the city controls all this. This is my own business, said Rafat Alawneh, who runs Number One Cab. It doesnt seem like we have freedom.

The recommendations from Police Chief Sam Hargadine come after a series of alleged assaults on women by Iowa City taxi drivers last fall and winter.

In addition to that, Hargadine said its not uncommon for cabs to be used in crimes or drivers to be victims themselves.

Taxi companies, however, are not always able to provide timely and accurate information on vehicles and drivers, he said. As an example, Hargadine said during the assault investigation last winter, officers spent more than 200 hours tracking down drivers and compiling information because the business owner did not know who all of his drivers were.

Many companies hire drivers as independent contractors. They use their own cars under the companys name rather than being actual employees of the business. In fact, when recently asked by the city, many owners could only guess at the number of drivers they had, Hargadine said.

As of Friday there were 94 vehicles from 10 companies registered as taxis in Iowa City, although that increases daily as the busy football season and cooler weather approaches, City Clerk Marian Karr said.

Hargadine is recommending companies be required to hire drivers as employees of the business and own the vehicles. He also wants:

l Companies to have unique color schemes so people can better identify to which company a cab belongs.

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Iowa City police seek more taxi rules after sexual assaults