CHICAGO (AP) – City officials in Chicago say penalties will triple on April 1 for cabdrivers who drive recklessly, overcharge their fares, refuse to pick them up, or simply don't know their way around.
Partly fueled by a 58 percent surge in passenger complaints last year, fines for a large number of cab driving violations will increase from $25 to $75.
The city fielded 11,227 complaints from disgruntled passengers last year, up from 7,088 complaints in 2006. In all, the city issued 4,100 citations and $1.4 million in fines. Eighteen cabdrivers had their licenses revoked, while 158 others were suspended. That's up from 13 revocations and 75 suspensions in 2006.
