Council Grants Taxi Certificates to Silver Cab After Contentious Public Hearing

The Birmingham City Council voted to grant certificates of public necessity and convenience to Silver Cab Company, allowing the company to operate a taxicab service in the city.

The decision followed a public hearing during which police and legal staff described a prior citation for operating an illegal taxicab under the name Flat Rate Taxi. Detective Pitts told the council the applicant was cited on Feb. 2, 2014, and that the current application, submitted after the applicant changed the business name to Silver Cab, met the requirements of the city transportation code.

Applicant Mohammed Harv told the council he had run advertised services under the Flat Rate Taxi name since about 2012, said he removed advertisements after being cited and changed the company name, and asked for a chance to operate legally. "All what I'm asking here is please give me a chance to create my own company," Harv said. He said he has about 3,000 customers per year and had submitted recommendation letters and evidence that advertisements had been removed.

Several members of the public spoke in support. Attorney Huell Carter and others described Harv as a small‑business operator trying to support his family and urged the council to allow him to come into compliance. William Harrow told the council it looked as if an ‘‘extra burden’’ was being placed on a man trying to run a legitimate business.

Council members debated enforcement and remedy for companies found out of compliance. Some members emphasized the council's practice of allowing operators to return to compliance rather than permanently barring them. One councilor said the city's practice had been to bring violators into compliance; another councilor urged caution because of the history of prior illegal operation and the need to deter deception.

After the discussion, the council approved the certificates. The clerk recorded the motion as passing with one 'no' vote; the record identifies Councilor Parker as the lone dissenting vote.

Next steps: issuance of the certificates and any required follow‑up by the police enforcement division or transportation compliance staff to monitor Silver Cab's operations.