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Driver Arrested for Illegal Taxicab Operation in Thousand Oaks
By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Tuesday, April 5th, 2011
 Ventura County Sheriff's Department The Thousand Oaks Police Department C.O.P.P.S. Unit/Bike Patrol conducted an investigation into an illegal taxicab business operating in the City. C.O.P.P.S. Unit and Bike Patrol deputies observed a subject paying the driver of a vehicle a taxicab fare at a local parking lot and conducted a stop on the vehicle to determine if the driver had a taxicab license. Upon further investigation, deputies determined the driver did not have a taxicab license and he presented fraudulent identification. The driver, Jose Marcelo Moreno, was arrested and booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility. Deputies discovered Moreno did not have a driver’s license, was driving uninsured, and he provided them with a fraudulent Department of Homeland Security immigration card (felony). Moreno was booked for the fraudulent identification, being an unlicensed driver, operating a taxicab business without a license, and operating without a business permit. Bail is set at $10,000. As a reminder, the Police Department encourages citizens utilizing a taxi as a mode of transportation to check for evidence of a valid taxicab license before entering a taxi or agreeing to a fare with a driver. Taxicab drivers are required to show a valid license upon request and, often times, already have their taxicab licenses posted in a conspicuous place so customers can easily observe it. In order for a taxicab driver to operate a service in Thousand Oaks, he/she is required to apply with the City for a taxicab license, which includes showing proof of a valid driver’s license, insurance coverage, a verification of identification through fingerprints/photos, and drug testing for controlled substances. Once the application is approved, the applicant receives a taxicab license to operate in the City. Location: Thousand Oaks, CA |
