After assaults on two women earlier this month by a taxi driver in Honolulu, HI, there are new concerns about safety. At issue is background checks done on cab drivers. According to police, the current city ordinance requires that background checks only go back two years. KHON2 in Honolulu reports that several owners of cab companies recently met with members of the Honolulu City Council at a hearing committee to discuss expanding background checks to more than two years.
The length of time a background check has to go back is clearly problematic for many people. In a follow up story to the assaults, KHON2 spoke with Howard Higa, president of The Cab, a taxi company that has over 800 drivers, and asked what requirements are necessary to work as a driver for the company. He responded that they needed a taxi license, insurance and a two year background check.
But Higa added that he would like to see this changed, “In my opinion, there are certain crimes or certain things that drivers have done in the past that should never be forgiven,” Higa said, “and I believe that the background checks should go further back … They should be five, maybe even 10 years.”
Cab companies want to expand the background checks, and some city council members are listening. Calling it a public safety concern, those council members say they will look into expanding background checks. While no resolution has yet been proposed, the subject will be discussed further at the next committee meeting.
