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MAC OKs Penalties For (Muslim) Cabbies Who Refuse Fares (MN)
WCCO.com ^ | 4/16/07 | AP

Posted on 04/16/2007 2:06:51 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo

The operator of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Monday approved tougher penalties for cabdrivers who refuse service to travelers carrying alcohol, as some Muslim drivers have done for religious reasons.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission voted to suspend a driver’s airport taxi license for 30 days for the first offense and revoke it for two years for a second offense. The new penalties take effect May 11.

Airport officials say more than 70 percent of the cabbies at the airport are Muslim, and many of them claim Islamic law prohibits them from giving rides to people carrying alcohol.

Under the old rules, a driver who refused to transport someone carrying alcohol would be told to go to the back of the taxicab line. Airport officials said that since January 2002, there have been more than 4,800 instances of a driver refusing service because a customer possessed, or was suspected of possessing, alcohol.

The dispute has been simmering for months.

One pilot program had drivers who wouldn’t transport alcohol display a different top light on their cab, but the public’s reaction was overwhelmingly negative and other taxi drivers who feared it would make travelers avoid taxis altogether.

On Monday, cab driver Abdinoor Dolal called the penalties punitive and asked commissioners to take a measured approach. Other drivers urged the commissioners to vote against the new penalties and consider compromises.

However, commissioners said the new penalties were needed to ensure customers get safe and reliable taxi service at the airport.

“Today’s action will strengthen compliance with our taxicab ordinance and ensure people who seek taxi service receive it,” said MAC Executive Director Jeff Hamiel in a news release.

308 posted on 04/16/2007 2:16:54 PM PDT by Cindy