COEUR d'ALENE - Driver background checks and vehicle inspections are two of several regulations the city of Coeur d'Alene is considering applying to private transportation services, such as taxis and limousines, operating within city limits.

City officials met with transportation business owners earlier this week in the training room at the headquarters of the Coeur d'Alene Police Department. Renata McLeod, city clerk, told The Press that prior to the meeting, city officials looked at how cities throughout the country regulate these businesses.

"They (the city) had some great ideas," said Tina Smith, a manager of Scott's Taxi in Coeur d'Alene who was at the meeting. "It's stuff that actually should have been in place before."

In the past, the city has not required criminal background checks for people who operate taxis and limousines.

"We really started hearing more and more from the community members that they're sending their children places in these vehicles," McLeod said. "They assumed that we were doing background checks to ensure that we didn't have sex offenders or felons or anybody like that driving their children around. It's been an assumption over the years, but it's something we've never regulated."

Smith agreed with McLeod that requiring background checks is an important regulation for the industry due to the public safety concerns created without the requirement.

"Scott's always been a strong supporter in trying to push for background checks," Smith said.

Other major proposed changes to the current code involve a mandatory vehicle inspection by a certified mechanic, company licensing, and individual operators permits from the city which would be required to be displayed while the vehicle is providing service.

McLeod added that the city is also advocating a regulation which would require operators to post their rates in the vehicles so the general public has an idea of what they could be charged prior to the end of the ride.

"The only thing I think at this time that they haven't hit on is drug testing," Smith said. "I think that goes hand-in-hand (with requiring a background check)."

The regulations would not apply to school buses, courtesy cars such as those operated by car dealers to transport customers whose vehicles are being repaired, or medical facility vehicles.

"You definitely had some differing opinions around the table from the various transportation companies," McLeod said. "But in general, it was a very good meeting and a lot of good information was shared back and forth."

The businesses will have until Nov. 7 to provide the city with feedback on the proposed regulations. McLeod said after the deadline passes, city officials will review the feedback and make adjustments to the regulations as needed before bringing them to the city council.