The latest wave of violence against Chicago cabdrivers isspurring long-overdue action, with the city ordering taxi companiesto take aggressive steps to improve driver safety.
Drivers also are demanding better protection, although they arenot unified on which steps would be most helpful.
The city wisely has taken the first step. Caroline O.Schoenberger, commissioner of consumer services, ordered cab firms toseriously consider measures to ensure better personal safety, or facemandatory regulations from the city.
It was a stronger warning than one she delivered last October,when she "encouraged" the cab industry to devise voluntary safetyprograms after three cabdrivers were shot in one weekend.
Now, with two cabdrivers having been killed in the last threeweeks, the commissioner is using tougher language. She should be,and Yellow and Checker bosses better be listening.
As a start, all parties should resolve long-running differenceson the effectiveness of bulletproof shields. Some drivers stronglydesire them, others (purportedly a majority) don't. The cabcompanies easily could install them in some of their leased cabs fordrivers who want them. Costs would not be prohibitive.
A state law once required the shields in all city cabs, but itwas ruled unconstitutional because it applied only to Chicago. Thereis no reason they cannot be installed voluntarily.
But bulletproof shields are only one of the options.Shoenberger is asking cab companies to look at other possibilities aswell, devices whose utility has been demonstrated in other bigcities.
Among them are "highjack lights" activated by drivers in trouble(a variation of "panic alarm" systems), cab locator systems,bulletproof side windows, and tray-like containers that are passedthrough partitions, like those at some bank teller windows, forexchanging money between drivers and passengers.
As the taxi industry says, there is no panacea to guaranteedriver protection. But there are numerous ways to improve theirpersonal safety. Let's find them. Let's adopt them.
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