City Council approves new taxi refranchising plan with added accountability measures

The Los Angeles City Council on Nov. 28 approved a second-reading ordinance to reframe taxi franchises in the city, a move the Department of Transportation said gives staff new tools to hold companies accountable.

Chief of Transit Jim Lefton told the council the existing franchise ordinances do not require full reporting of all trips or complaints and that staff lacks the capacity to independently audit compliance. "The problem that we have currently is that there is no requirement in the current franchise ordinances to receive 100% complaint reporting information from the taxicab company," Lefton said, describing why the refranchising plan was proposed.

Council members said the proposal is intended to improve service in neighborhoods that rely on taxis, noting seniors and transit-dependent riders especially need reliable response times. Councilmember Holden urged enforcement rather than new reporting alone, saying penalties must follow persistent failures. Several council members pressed for regular reports to the council: Lefton said monthly evaluations would be presented to the Board of Taxicab Commissioners and that the new franchising plan requires companies to provide complete complaints information.

The council voted 12–0 to approve the ordinance on second reading and sent it forthwith to the mayor for signature.

What happens next: The ordinance now goes to the mayor for signature; Transportation staff said it will submit ongoing performance reports to the Taxicab Commission and, on request, to the council. The council indicated it will seek follow-up evaluations during implementation.