Hiiran Online
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Airport staff want a public hearing on the new policy, which calls for a 30-day suspension of licenses upon the first offense and two years on the second offense.
It’s a stark departure from last year’s deal, which would have assigned distinct color codes to drivers who don’t carry alcohol. That plan turned a huge public relations disaster for MAC, which quickly scrapped it.
Most of the taxi drivers, who MAC says shun about 100 customers a month, are Somalis who cite religious prohibitions of alcohol.
Regardless of religion, airport spokesman Pat Hogan said customer service is the priority. And any driver who’s not willing to serve all customers will face consequences.
Abdisalam Hashim, manager of Bloomington taxi, who participated in negotiations with MAC, says that they will present their own plan when the full commission discusses the issue on Jan. 16.
“Obviously, we’re disappointed,” he said. “But we understand that MAC has genuinely tried to work with us.”
“We hope to find another way out of this.”
MAC wants the new policy to take effective by early May, when taxi licenses are up for yearly renewal
Abdirahman Aynte can be reached at [email protected]