The Sacramento City Council will vote tonight on controversial new taxicab regulations. Under the proposed rules, taxi drivers would have to: know how to speak English; have basic math skills; follow a dress code; and accept credit cards.
"One of the reasons the city is doing this is because we get complaints," says Dafna Gauthier with the City of Sacramento. "And when we get complaints what we do is look at what other industries are doing and see how we can mirror or be just as competitive as other industries to help our drivers."
Yellow Cab and other large taxi operators support the proposed rules. But smaller, independent taxi companies say the regulations could drive them out of business, especially with increased competition from ridesharing companies like Lyft and Uber. If approved by council members tonight, the new rules will take effect in 30-days.
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