BTV Taxi News

August 15th, 2009

Mr Louis LaRose, owner of Everywhere Taxi, and of late, driver of J.J. Transit and/or Queen City Transit vehicles, was expelled by Airport Police from Burlington International Airport today.  Reports have it that Mr LaRose was written up* and suspended from the Airport for the remainder of the day because he flew into another rage.  This while confronting a Vermont based contract carrier about “stealing from him”.  He was however, not cited for Disorderly Conduct.

* internal airport documentation

This transpired on the drop off curb of the airport, with members of the public, including the passengers* the contract carrier was discharging, present.  If you’ve never seen Mr LaRose in action, well, it’s doubtful you’d call it a treat but it is a spectacle in unprofessionalism worthy of being a poster child candidate for anger management.  Especially with his trademark brand of intimidation which involves invading his objects breathing space by towering over them while barking and bellowing in a manner a fog horn would envy.

* the stolen goods in question perhaps, and how does that work exactly?

This is not new behavior for Mr LaRose.  Simply rarely documented, though periodically witnessed by startled bystanders and of course, by airport taxi operators, Ambassadors and presumably, seasoned BPD Officers, among whom it is the stuff of legend.  However, in June this year, rather than facing an administrative hearing, Mr LaRose voluntarily accepted a 24 hour suspension from the Airport following a May 4th incident where among other things he stalked up the airport taxi queue sidewalk a few steps behind a female operator a third his size.  Alternately berating her loudly and quietly taunting her along the way.  Subsequently, he confessed to, “calling her bad names”.

She, and others, state Mr LaRose used multiples of not one, but two “C-words”, among other “bad names”.  The concern whispered in some quarters is that Mr LaRose gets so enraged, that he doesn’t actually recall what he is saying, nor perhaps doing, when in one of these rages.

It remains to be seen if any additional sanctions will be added to this wrist slap, “remainder of the day” suspension.

The moral of this story?  File a complaint, do not remain silent when: you believe you are overcharged, have suffered intimidation, or otherwise witnessed unprofessional behavior like the above.

At the very least, PLEASE register your compliant herein with us on BTV Taxi News.  In the course of time, your effort will help us make the case for elevating the standards in order to obtain, and/or retain, the privilege of a taxi queue permit franchise.