More than 300 "salvaged" cabs were pulled off Chicago streets Friday as part of a city crack down on unsafe taxis.
Chicago law has prohibited taxicabs from being titled "rebuilt" or "salvaged" since 2005.
After a city inspector discovered a cab in “very poor” condition was actually salvaged, officials ran title histories for all of Chicago's 6,800 medallions and found 339 taxicabs were salvaged.
“What we are seeing are titles that appear to be altered," Department of Business Affairs and Licensing Commissioner Norma Reyes said. “At this point, we do not know how these titles were altered, how they were washed and who is responsible. Our main concern is taking these vehicles out of service because they are prohibited from being used as taxicabs in the city.”
Chicago Elite Cab Corp. had 108 salvaged vehicles on the street, according to the city. Medallion Leasing and Management had 55, Globe Taxi 52, Chicago Taxi Medallion Management 46 and the Royal 3 CCC Chicago Taxi Association 42.
The city will revoke medallions or levy tougher fines against any company that knowingly bought a salvaged or rebuilt vehicle.
