SEATTLE -- Inspectors are keeping tabs Seattle's taxis, from making sure the brakes work to checking that you are not getting overcharged. The drivers are being inspected, too, to make sure they are following all the rules.
I am making sure the numbers are on display. I am making sure rates are posted, said taxi inspector Greg Kangas.
When Kangas approaches a cab, he wants to know if the lights work, if it is clean and whether the in-cab camera is working. On a recent inspection, Kangas came across a cab with a camera that had a red flashing light, indicating it was not working.
He cannot work until he gets the camera fixed, said Kangas.
Field inspections are just the beginning. Cab drivers are also due at a city test station once a year.
We added up the checklist one day. It came to 132 items, said Inspector Tim Douglas.
So far this year, the city reports nearly 30 percent of tested cabs failed safety inspections. Common violations include broken emergency brakes, burned out lights and cleanliness issues. Additionally, the number of in-cab cameras that failed this year increased by six percent compared to last year. Inspectors said older camera systems appear to be wearing out.
One taxi driver said he tries to follow the rules, but has been written up for violations in the past.
Sometimes it is not fair, you know. They don't give us a second chance, said the driver.
When it comes to complaints like that, Kangas said, I tell them I am doing my job. I am checking up on you.
Drivers have the option to appeal violations. Last year, the city collected $32,510 in fines and reinspection fees.
