Regulators confiscate counterfeit taxi, search for illegal operators

Thursday, March 23, 2000 | 11:20 a.m.

The Nevada Taxicab Authority confiscated a van painted as a Yellow-Checker-Star taxi Wednesday and is searching for a ring of drivers that may have collected thousands of dollars of fares from Las Vegas tourists.

"It's a perfect counterfeit taxicab," said Bob Flaven, chief investigator for the Taxicab Authority. "In my 35 years in the industry, I haven't seen anything like it."

Flaven suspects illegal drivers may have made up to $500 a day in the 1991 Ford Aerostar van.

"That's potentially $2,500 in just five days and there may be five or six more illegal vehicles out there," Flaven said.

Taxicab Authority investigators spotted the vehicle parked at the Villa Roma Motel, 220 Convention Center Drive. There was no driver in the van, but investigators began following leads to find the identity of its operator.

Investigators suspected a sophisticated illegal cab ring had begun operations when the Taxicab Authority was notified two months ago that five taxi meters had been reported missing from Yellow-Check-Star Taxi Co., the city's largest taxi company.

But the level of sophistication even surprised Flaven.

"This car has everything," Flaven said. "It looks just like a regular cab."

That includes a working meter and dispatch radio, stolen license plates, a stolen taxicab medallion, decals designating the cost of a ride, an 18-inch numeral mounted on the roof for identification from the air and a "cheater light" that tells when a cab is in service.

Although the van was painted with the Checker company's paint scheme, it did not have advertising signs mounted on the roof of the vehicle.

The only other giveaway that the vehicle was operating illegally was its age. Taxis with state certification can't be more than four years old. But most consumers aren't aware of that regulation, said Bill Shranko, director of operations for Yellow-Checker-Star. He also said consumers are at risk because illegal cabs aren't insured or inspected by state officials.

"It's a major danger and the Taxicab Authority has placed a high priority on finding the operators. Several felonies are involved in this incident," he said.

"What's scary about this is it's practically a perfect counterfeit. This obviously was done by somebody who has had a lot of experience with the taxi industry," Shranko said.

Shranko said the public can assist state authorities by notifying them if they see a cab parked in an unusual location for more than an hour. The riding public also should notify state officials if they suspect a driver doesn't work for a certified cab company.

James Jimmerson, chairman of the Taxicab Authority, applauded the enforcement arm of the agency for moving quickly to confiscate the vehicle. He asked Flaven and Taxicab Authority Administrator Bob Anselmo to conduct an investigation on the matter.

"Running a taxi cab is obviously perceived as a potentially lucrative business in this town and worth the risk of getting caught (when operating illegally)," Jimmerson said.