‘Habitual abuses’ of taxi rules prompt crackdown

Ozaukee County supervisors last week voted to revise the Shared Ride Taxi policy regarding riders who don’t show up or fail to cancel their ride in a timely manner.

The changes come after a policy was put in place in April 2024 that charged a rider if a ride is canceled less than an hour before the taxi is scheduled to arrive for the pick-up or if the driver has to wait more than five minutes.

After three “no-shows” within a 60-day period, the rider’s future scheduled rides would be canceled and the rider would be required to reschedule each ride individually. Further violations would result in the rider being ineligible to use the taxi.

The new policy approved last week by the county Public Works Committee was developed after consulting with the state Department of Transportation “to better align the policy with current federal American Disabilities Act regulations and transit guidance,” county Transit Supt. Kerise Zutz said in a memo to the committee.

Under the updated policy:

• A trip is considered a no-show when the vehicle arrives within the scheduled 30-minute pickup window, the driver waits five minutes, and the rider does not board.

• A cancellation made less than one hour before the scheduled pickup window is considered a late cancellation.

• A rider must have at least three no-shows or late cancellations that also represent at least 5% of the rider’s scheduled trips within a rolling 30-day period before a suspension may be imposed.

• Suspensions are progressive: seven days for the first violation, 14 days for the second and 30 days for each subsequent violation.

• Riders receive written notice and may appeal within five calendar days. The suspension does not begin until the appeal period has expired or a decision has been made on the appeal.

• The policy also includes a voluntary payment option instead of suspension. This option may be used once within a rolling six-month period. The amounts correspond with the suspension levels: $7 for the first, $14 for the second or $30 for each subsequent suspension.

Trips missed for reasons outside the rider’s control are not counted as no-shows or late cancellations.

The changes in the policy were not prompted by a complaint or a specific request from the state DOT, Zutz said.

“The county updated the policy as part of its own review to make it clearer, ensure it is applied consistently and keep it in line with federal ADA requirements and current transit guidance,” she said.

“The proposed revisions provide a clearer definition of a pattern or practice of excessive no-shows, establish procedures for reviewing circumstances beyond a rider’s control, clarify rider notification and appeal procedures and promote the appropriate application of suspensions,” she said in the memo.

Instituting the policy was made possible when the county adopted a software that uses an electronic swipe card rather than the old punch card system.

Public Works Director Jon Edgren said the change was necessary to “address the habitual abuses of those who do not find it necessary to call in to cancel their rides.”

Such no-shows can be immediately billed through their card.

On Tuesday, Zutz said the taxi service recorded 243 no-shows in August, down slightly from August 2024 when there were 262.

Over the last year, the Shared Ride Taxi has drawn about 8,500 riders per month, almost as many as before the pandemic.

Of those, almost half use the taxi to get to and from work, the other half being elderly, have a disability, or are students, a recent survey showed.

The service does not operate on fixed routes. Passengers must call and make an appointment to be picked up and taken to their destination.

The taxi will arrive at the appointed time within a 30-minute window — 15 minutes before the appointment to 15 minutes after.

The taxi is a curb-to-curb service, meaning the driver will not escort the rider into a building, and will not wait for the rider to complete the appointment.

Interfaith Caregivers, a private nonprofit organization, however, offers door-to-door service to the elderly and people with disabilities and will wait for riders to complete their appointments.

For more information, visit www.interfaithozaukee.org and ozaukeetransit.com/shared-ride-taxi.