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American Cab’s permit suspension ‘not in effect’ after 10-day resolution period granted

Published September 12, 2018 9:07 PM

A valley cab company is having permit problems.

Early in the day Wednesday, SunLine, who regulates the valley’s three cab companies, confirmed in a statement that Palm Springs-based American Cab Company’s permit had been suspended due to complaince issu

UPDATE: SunLine is providing American Cab a “10-day period to allow for further discussions…to prospectively resolve the ordinance compliance issue,” temporarily delaying the taxi service’s permit suspension.

“American Cab is not in compliance with SunLine Services Group Ordinance No. 2016-01 and has been notified of such,” reads a statement from Scott Jurgens, customer service manager of SunLine Transit Agency. “As of today, their permit has been suspended.

But then, later in the day, SunLine walked that suspension back, writing in a second statement:

“SunLine Services Group has continued to review the ordinance compliance issue regarding American Cab, and with the full intention of being sympathetic to American Cab drivers and their customers currently using the service, SSG has decided to provide a 10-day period to allow for further discussions in an effort to work with American Cab to prospectively resolve the ordinance compliance issue – which is related to a fiscal obligation to the ordinance, not involving any safety or cab performance matters. The suspension is not in effect at this time as steps toward a resolution are in process.”

Drivers of competitor cab companies at Palm Springs International Airport had heard word of American’s permit problems, though the details were still unclear.

” This morning when SunLine came in, thats how we found out,” said Constantin Constantinescu, a driver for Desert City Cab. “I asked him this morning … I said, ‘What’s the reason, what’s going on?’ — he said, ‘That’s it, they’re done, their permit is suspended.”

A driver with American Cab Company who was operating at the airport during the time of the brief suspension didn’t know many details either.

Following SunLine’s decision to lift the suspension, American Cab Company was granted a 10-day grace period during which they can still operate while they will try to work things out.