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Middletown committee backs licensing rules for private student transport services
Summary
The Middletown Legislative Committee voted to forward ordinance 4-33 to the full council after the chief of police said private student-transport services have expanded without city oversight and licensing, inspections and insurance records are proposed to improve student safety.
Middletown — The Middletown Legislative Committee voted to forward ordinance 4-33, a proposal to license and regulate private student-transport services, after the city’s chief of police told members the services have grown recently and currently operate without municipal oversight.
The chief of police said the proposal would create a new section in the city’s taxi code requiring operators who transport students to obtain a city license, submit to inspections and provide business and insurance information. “The ultimate goal is the safety of the students that they're transporting,” the chief said.
Committee members pressed for background on how long the private transport programs have operated. The chief said the activity has been present for some time but has formalized over the last couple of years, with operators forming LLCs and lettering vans. Members noted that many drivers already hold valid licenses, but emphasized the lack of an inspection and licensing framework.
Mister Green said he had seen an increase in school-line services and supported added oversight. Miss Ray said she was “in full agreement with the resolution.” The chair treated the matter as the committee of the whole and called for a vote; members voted to forward the measure to the full council.
The committee’s action directs the ordinance to the council for further consideration; no council vote or final adoption is recorded in the committee transcript.
