He said the staff is about half women and half men. Only an ordinary driver's license, a background check and a pre-employment drug test are needed, said Hegna. The city and the insurance company weed out applicants with unacceptable records. The taxis have had few accidents, and he'd rather not jinx the record. Avoiding accidents heads his list, said Hegna.
Safety is our top priority.
Driving taxi seems to be only a temporary job for most, said Hegna. He said there's changeover as drivers graduate from college or get higher-paying jobs. I don't get many complaints. Although most passengers can be picked up shortly after they call, the service asks that people with medical appointments call an hour in advance. Occasionally the taxi gets criticism for cutting off service at 11 p.m., said Hegna.