By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
Cedric O’Brian Macon is trying to gain city approval to establish a contract transport service in Salisbury.
Salisbury City Council approved at first reading Tuesday Macon’s application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for Taxi Owners to operate as a franchise, which will go by the name of Triad Transport Service.
Macon intends to use a 2009 Honda as a contract vehicle, not a taxi, to transport passengers.
A contract vehicle involves compensation by pre-arrangement and does not accept passengers between points along the highway.
“A contract vehicle shall not be operated as a taxicab by engaging in cruising or providing service on call or demand,” the city ordinance for contract vehicles says.
Macon, 24, is currently employed with Part Inc., a contract transport service with the Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury. He also has worked for transportation services in Charlotte and Florida.
Salisbury Police Lt. Rodney K. Harris said a background check showed Macon to have a valid driver’s license and the insurance necessary to operate a contract vehicle. Macon has no criminal record, Harris reported.
Macon intends to park his contract vehicle, which can carry up to five passengers, at his home on Fairson Avenue. Harris said the location and parking on Fairson will be in compliance with the city ordinance’s requirements.
The ordinance requires a second reading and approval by City Council.
In another city matter, council approved the purchase of a new tandem dump truck for Salisbury-Rowan Utilities.
Purchase price for the 2010 Kenworth T800 was $115,764, the price Salisbury paid for the same dump truck last November.
Cooper Kenworth Truck Inc. won the contract on both occasions.
N.C. law allows local governments to forgo a separate bidding procedure if a contractor is willing to extend the same or a more favorable price that was awarded for an item in the past 12 months.
For example, if Cooper Kenworth had sold the dump truck to the city of Wilmington for $115,764 within the past year, Salisbury might decide it was a good price on which to “piggy-back.”
If the company agreed, Salisbury could pay the same price for the truck without going through the normal bidding process.
In this case, Salisbury was piggy-backing on itself and what it paid in November for the dump truck.