Inspection pass rate up for Lynn taxis

LYNN – Taxi operators say recent vehicle inspections show they are doing a better job keeping customers safe, but a Police Department report states nine local cabs “were taken off the road for a combination of major safety problems.”City and state inspectors checked more than 84 taxis and other pay-to-ride vehicles on June 11 and 12 and failed 25 vehicles for “major violations,” according to a report filed by Officer Robert LeBlanc, and failed eight others for minor violations.”All vehicles that had failed for either minor or major violations were immediately repaired and re-inspected to be in satisfactory condition,” wrote LeBlanc.Inspectors checked 74 vehicles in 2013, failing 19 for major violations and 19 for minor violations. Violations range from the minor, such as malfunctioning lights and wipers, to the major, such as tie rod failures and control arm problems that LeBlanc earlier this year said could potentially make a vehicle unsafe.According to LeBlanc’s report, three vehicles owned by Tom’s Taxi, four vehicles owned by Garcia Taxi, one owned by All City Taxi and one owned by Union Taxi were ordered off the road by inspectors for problems “…that rendered the vehicles incapable of being operated safely on a public way.”Union Taxi owner Danilo Diroche said he has “no complaints” about the city inspections, but All City owner Mike Cole said one of the cabs he removed from service is getting repaired. Cole said he has not reviewed LeBlanc’s report but called the inspections “a little stringent.”The two-day inspection involves nearly a dozen state and city inspectors who examine licensing and registration documents for taxis and order immediate repairs and follow-up inspections for vehicles with violations.Although almost half of the 50 local taxis failed initial inspections before being repaired, LeBlanc’s report states that most livery for-hire vehicles passed inspections.Tom’s Taxi supervisor Gordon Cronin said company vehicles failing to pass inspection included taxis with malfunctioning windshield wipers.”Everything was fixed on our end. We’re in pretty good shape,” Cronin said.He said Ocean Transportation livery drivers receive First Aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and recently received instruction in proper fire extinguisher use.The local taxi business landscape changed this month when Tom’s Taxi and Union Taxi completed city-approved negotiations allowing Union to buy 10 taxi medallions from Tom’s. Diroche said he paid $13,000 for each medallion and said the purchases increase taxi service competition locally.”We make a difference,” he said.