MASON CITY – The Mason City Police Department over the past week has conducted compliance checks on taxi cabs operating in the city. They say the goal of the checks were to insure the public’s safety by making sure safety ordinances were being followed.
While checking for ordinance compliance, it was discovered that a non-permitted taxi cab and driver had been in operation. After investigation, a plain-clothes police officer received a ride on March 17th at about 11:30 p.m. and paid a fare to the driver.
The driver was identified as Joseph Mustain (27) of Dougherty. Mustain was charged with operating a vehicle for hire without a permit, failing to have a background check to become a driver of a vehicle for hire, failure to have vehicle for hire liability insurance and violating a restricted driver’s license. All citations were simple misdemeanors and Mustain was cited and released with a promise to appear in court.
The City’s ordinances require a taxi cab to be plainly marked with the company’s name on each side of the vehicle. The rate of the fares is to be posted in plain view of the customer / passenger and they are to display a permit provided by the City of Mason City in the lower passenger’s side of the windshield.
If you summon a taxi cab and these obvious identifiers are not present, do not take the ride because the vehicle has not been inspected and it is also likely the driver has not passed a background check and your personal safety could be in jeopardy.
EDITOR’S NOTE: MUSTIAN IS A CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER.
You guys due realize this guy is a convicted sex offender also….
Is this guy on parole/supervised release? How can he You would think this would be grounds for such action. Kind of scary if you ask me.