Bethel taxi commission meets tonight on chauffeur license hearing, cab fares

Bethel's Public Safety and Transportation Commission holds a formal hearing Wednesday on Chauffeur License #0125-01. Under the Bethel Municipal Code, the commission may suspend or revoke a chauffeur's license upon finding, after a hearing, that a licensee has violated applicable code provisions. The same agenda includes a discussion on taxi cab pricing involving Kusko and Alaska Cab.

In a community with no road connections to the outside, taxis serve as a primary transportation mode for residents without personal vehicles. Bethel has more taxi cabs per capita than anywhere else in the United States, and any fare change or licensing action can affect riders who depend on cabs for work, medical appointments, and daily errands.

The meeting is the commission's first with a full agenda since April. The May 6 meeting was called to order but no meeting was held due to lack of quorum. The June 3 meeting did not proceed due to lack of proper notice. Six sets of meeting minutes, spanning January through June, are on the agenda for approval Wednesday.

Other agenda items include a police blotter report, a Streets and Roads discussion, and a review of an ordinance amending animal vaccine requirements under Bethel Municipal Code Title 6.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at Council Chambers, City Hall, 300 Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway. Remote attendance is available via Zoom. Written public comments must be submitted to [email protected] by 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting.