Raleigh cab drivers face changes

The regulations cover everything from maintaining a vehicle to a cab drivers' appearance. Vehicles must be less than 10 years old, have less than 250,000 miles and a working air conditioner.

Cabs are also required to install security cameras.

Nabile Hanna, who for Sammy's taxi service, said he is welcoming the new regulations.

“I like it,” Hanna said Thursday.

Downtown Raleigh isn’t the only area cracking down on taxi drivers. Raleigh-Durham International Airport maintains its own taxi service and already has specific rules in place.

Officers recently busted cab driver Wayne Bordeau for operating at RDU with fake license tags and no insurance.

“We want to ensure that from our taxi drivers to our limo services, that we ensure that they meet our standards and that they are safe and courteous for our passengers,” RDU spokeswoman Mindy Hamlin said.

Loren Gold, executive vice president of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the city’s new taxi cab ordinance is about maintaining consistency in how cab companies operate and how they represent the city.

“It does keep these small time operators potentially on the sidelines if they don’t comply with the ordinance,” Gold said.