Taxi Regulations
Dear Editor: We’ve owned Baranof Taxi & Tours LLC since 2013. Even before COVID, it’s been nearly impossible to retain enough drivers to keep our business running without severe gaps of service. If you ask any taxi company owner, they will likely agree.
I currently have three taxicabs, yet I am able to operate only a single taxicab; this is because between the two of us we cannot cover 14, 12-hour shifts per week even though we have calls coming in at all hours. We hear many complaints from the public on how difficult it is to get a taxi, especially late at night. Many are bar patrons. This problem is due solely on how the City of Sitka regulates its chauffeur permits. We have found a few major issues that could easily be solved, while also greatly increasing city tax revenue.
First the city-regulated fare sheet has not been adjusted for at least 15 years. At the very least the fare chart needs to keep in line with inflation. Even Uber, which operates in Sitka, has much pricier fares.
Second, the city requires that all prospective chauffeur applicants complete a medical exam. This exam can be cost-prohibitive for any person who is seeking employment. The physical alone is upwards of $300, and this cost is out-of-pocket, as most insurance companies do not cover this. However, taxis are not DOT vehicles and do not require any additional state endorsements; if DMV vets and issues a DL, should there be an additional, costly step for driving a taxi? Furthermore, the city does not recognize any exceptions in lieu of this physical. I’ve had people seeking to obtain a chauffeur’s license who have passed a DOT or a Coast Guard MMC physical, yet the city does not recognize these.
Last, and most importantly, we are a seasonal town; the demand for taxi service in the spring and summertime months greatly increases, as does the demand for additional drivers. As of now the city requires all chauffeur’s license applicants to hold an Alaska state driver’s license. Because of this, it’s nearly impossible to hire seasonal personnel as most come from out of state and hold an out-of-state license. The idea that they should obtain an Alaska DL for the couple of months they are here, can be counter-intuitive to the rule of all states, which prohibits a person from holding multiple state licenses and by default would require said applicant to lose his or her state residency status. Additionally, because of COVID-19, the Alaska DMV does not have immediate availability for appointments, scheduling some for three to four months out.
In order to get a Sitka chauffeur’s license, applicants must pay around $600 just to get on the road. Due to the pandemic more independent travelers then ever are due to step foot in Sitka. The summer season is typically something most business owners look forward to; however, as we cannot even keep up with current demand, we are left feeling even more distressed.
The citizens of Sitka deserve timely and reliable transportation as do our visitors. There’s a multitude of ways this can be solved. But we need the city and the Chief of Police’s support. There is absolutely no shortage in demand for taxis (at any time of a 24-hour day, we can turn on our business phone and within 10 minutes a call will come through. The problem is finding drivers who are willing to jump through these hoops. When looking at other Southeast Alaska cities, chauffeur’s licenses are valid for two years.
We fully believe changing some of the requirements will not only add additional tax revenue for the City of Sitka, but will also be safer for the community.
Melissa Henricksen, Thaddeus Lara,
owners, Baranof Taxi & Tours LLC
