PEABODY — A third taxi company is poised to hit the streets in Peabody.
North Shore Taxi recently received approval from the City Council to run five taxicabs in the city. The company is just waiting for final clearance from the Fire Department to occupy the firm's 23 Upton St. headquarters before commencing operations. Owner Sean McKinnon hopes that OK could come within the next few days.
North Shore Taxi will join Community Taxi and Tri City Taxi on the road in Peabody. McKinnon, a former Community employee, is running the business with his dad, John.
"We feel that the citizens of Peabody were being underserved by the current cab companies," McKinnon said.
Both of those companies were subjected in June to safety inspections conducted by the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Of the 13 taxis and livery cars inspected, eight had to be temporarily removed from the road.
McKinnon said North Shore Taxi has been operating in Salem since last week. The Peabody City Council voted 9-0 to grant the McKinnons five taxicab licenses. No one appeared to speak in opposition to the licenses at a hearing held on Aug. 26.







