Taxi service plans to expand in Fort Smith approved

The need for taxi services in Fort Smith has doubled since the closing this year of Razorback Cab.

A serious wreck and a civil lawsuit shut down Razorback Cab in May.

But another cab company's owner has been approved to expand in Fort Smith. Westark Taxi will soon have five cars on duty around the clock, the owner told the Fort Smith Board of Directors.

And Jerry Burnett, taxi company owner whose expansion has been approved by the board of directors, says he needs 10 cabs on duty to keep up with the number of calls. There has been a shortage of drivers with the demand for rides up, Burnett said.

The need for cab service increased this year with the number of calls for rides.

But cab companies are having a hard time finding drivers.

Burnett applied to do business as Westark Taxi LLC. and operate.

Director Lavon Morton questioned whether the cab company would have enough insurance to protect any victims in accidents. The most recent company to fold due to the serious wreck a driver was involved in did not have adequate insurance.

Razorback Cab:What happened to Razorback Cab?

Burnett also operates Payless Taxi LLC service with five cabs available around the clock each day in Fort Smith.

Burnett said insurance covers his businesses. He is expanding by opening Westark which will be insured under his policy. The companies comply with the state laws for insurance, $25,000 per person per accident, $50,000 for multiple people per accident, plus property damage.

Morton talked about the collision with injury reported in Fort Smith involving a Razorback Cab driver.

"I want to bring to the board's attention something that happened," Morton said. "It was not this company or the other company that Mr. Burnett owns, but in May of 2019 a taxi cab company here in Fort Smith no longer in business ran a stoplight and hit an 88-year-old lady and turned her car over and injured her pretty badly. And her attorney when he looked into this because she wanted some damages for her personal injuries, discovered that that company had no insurance, at all, but it had more than 25 taxi cabs," Morton said.

Morton said there may be future consideration to increase taxi cab insurance requirements. The company is insured as required by state law, with cars leased to drivers in owner/operator arrangements that allow drivers to have more coverage.

"I think that is something to keep in mind for the city going forward," Morton said. "For a commercial vehicle, you know I think in terms of construction contracts we require a lot more than $25,000 per person, $50,000 max, I'll tell you we require a lot more liability insurance."

He said the Razorback Cab saga should be considered.

"I do not know if we have the ability in Fort Smith to make any changes that would apply to this in the future, certainly not today, but to be mindful this did occur in Fort Smith and it is something we would depend on the legislature to change so you can make your own conclusion about how likely that is," Morton said. "But this sort of thing that happened in this accident, that Mr. Burnett and his companies had nothing to do with, should not happen. It should not happen."

Directors voted unanimously, 7-0, Tuesday night to approve the non-exclusive franchise taxi operation.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Fort Smith Board of Directors approve taxi company expansion plan