ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council Transportation Committee voted on Wednesday in favor of new legislation that could change the future of the taxi industry.
Several taxi drivers attended the meeting and were pleased with the vote's outcome. The legislation would enforce airport restrictions in an attempt to level the playing field between taxi and rideshare drivers.
"It is favorable. We'll send it to the council. With that, to my drivers in the room, this paper now goes to the full city council which I anticipate the council to vote in support of. So congratulations. We are hopefully to the end of this," Councilmember Bryon Amos said.
The original legislation would no longer mandate that taxis have the signature dome lights or be painted a certain color. It would also have changed a traditional meter to cellphones or computers.
It would have also enforced a switch from traditional meters to cell phones or computers. Taxi drivers shared concerns that removing such regulations could potentially lead to safety issues like robberies and overcharging.
"When you remove some of those things like the top light like they are proposing here now, anybody can just come to the airport and pretend to be a taxi, and then there'll be more robberies, there'll be stealing, there will be overcharging, and we don't want that," Tony Ligbere, a taxi driver previously told 11Alive.
Amos, who is sponsoring the legislation, said he changed the ordinance after speaking with more taxi drivers.
Leaders agreed to increase the required number of years a car can be in service from seven to 10. Amos said this would allow drivers to make more money.
"If you look at the average auto loan now, it is a seven-year loan. So you're actually working to pay off your car. I believe if we gave them those additional years, at least those conditional years, additional years could be used to actually make money without having to pay a car," Amos added.
The legislation will still have to pass amongst the full city council.