Nearly 1,600 taxis are certified to travel Atlanta streets. But none are checked for recalls that could jeopardize the safety of passengers and other drivers.
With all of the technology available these days, there is no way of knowing if the Atlanta taxi cab you are getting into has an unrepaired safety recall.
The city doesn't check for recalls when it inspects taxis.
“Well, it makes me feel a little apprehensive,” one traveler said.
Channel 2’s Investigative Reporter Justin Gray learned that safety advocates are petitioning the city to act fast.
The Center for Auto Safety sent city council a letter Monday asking that the city require recall repairs for taxis.
“They're only done for safety reasons. Recalls are not done for cosmetics, they are not done for chipped paint, these are dangerous situations,” said Center for Auto Safety Executive Director Jason Levine.
The city of Atlanta already requires mechanical inspections for taxis, it also requires special licensing and permitting.
All safety recalls are free for the drivers or fleet owners, but as of right now, the city does not check to see if they have been done.
“They have the authority. They already are inspecting and licensing these vehicles. Just go ahead and add these to the inspection list,” Levine said.
Channel 2 Action News reached out to the mayor’s office, which referred us to city council.
City officials are already responding, telling Channel 2 Action News they will work on a legislative fix to this safety gap as soon as next month.
“Upon the Council reconvening in January, we are confident that The Center for Auto Safety’s concerns will be addressed.”
If you are wondering about ride share companies like Uber or Lyft, they don’t require these safety recall repairs either.
We received a statement from Checker Cab Company saying the following: “We complete all vehicle safety recalls in our fleet. The safety of our drivers and passengers is our #1 concern. Taxicabs are required to comply to numerous regulations in comparison to Uber and Lyft. Any vehicle operating in the State of Georgia with open safety recalls is dangerous.”