Taxi firm OK’d to keep running in Spa City

HOT SPRINGS — The Hot Springs Transportation Advisory Committee voted Thursday to allow Hot Springs Taxi and its subsidiaries to continue operations despite the city citing the owner for operating a business without a permit.

The committee adopted City Attorney Brian Albright’s recommendation to allow the company to continue operating under Hot Springs Taxi’s transportation permit, which the city said was renewed for 2022.

“This is a positive outcome for the committee,” Deputy City Manager Lance Spicer told committee members. “That’s really what you want. You’re looking for compliance, not to be punitive.”

Albright told the panel that Service Cab Co., Yellow Cab and Checker Cab, all of which operate under Hot Springs Taxi’s transportation permit, weren’t registered with the secretary of state’s office. The city filed a citation against owner Darrian Conner in Hot Springs District Court on Feb. 8.

“There was no permit for Checker, Service or Yellow,” Albright said. “The confusion associated with the continued operation of Yellow, Checker and Service without a permit was problematic. There were not the proper fictitious names registered with the secretary of state and county clerk’s office. Vehicles that were operating under that logo became an issue.”

He said Conner registered the names prior to Thursday’s hearing and that the city would withdraw the Class A misdemeanor charge.

The city sent a cease and desist letter in January that informed the company that insurance coverage on about a dozen of its vehicles had lapsed, putting it in violation of the city transportation code.