The Little Rock City Board seems likely to act soon to legalize taxi competition in the city.
The board will have an agenda meeting Tuesday for the following week and items include an operator’s permit for Ken’s Cab, along wth seven taxicab permits.
Ken’s tried to get a permit two years ago for three cabs, but the Board denied the request, continuing Yellow Cab as the monopoly cab operator in the city. The city suggested Ken’s apply for a coming year. It did not, but owner Ken Leininger sued instead and continued to operate — “illegally” in the view of the city, according to a summary of the agenda item.
The suit was successful. From the summary for the City Board:
The litigation held that the City’s “necessary and convenience” standard for the issuance of Taxi Permits violated the Arkansas Constitution monopoly provision. While the City contests the finding, in light of the change in transportation through Transportation Network Companies – e.g., Uber, Lyft – over which the City has not authority, it is hard, if not impossible, to justify denial of a Taxi Permit based upon the number of existing operators.
When Ken’s Cab, LLC, made this application, then, there was no reason to deny it as long as it complied with various ordinance requirements – e.g., location of a 24/7/365 dispatch center in the City. Fleet Services has reviewed this application and found compliance with these provisions.
A final order in the case was issued in January and no notice of appeal was filed.