Red Dot Taxi Purchase of Fairfield Cab Co. Faces Delay

Red Dot Taxi’s move to purchase — which is — is reportedly being delayed by the appeal of a recent state Department of Transportation decision that denied permits for two other cab companies.

According to a report in the Fairfield Citizen, the DOT is being sued over its recent denial of a total of 140 new permits for Metro Taxi of West Haven and Yellow Cab Co. of Bloomfield, both of which wanted to expand their service. As a result of the appeal, the agency has had to temporarily suspend the issuance of new taxi permits, or plates.

The state DOT recently ordered that Fairfield Cab Company be shut down and sold by Feb. 29, after the discovery of “numerous violations,” including vehicles that didn’t pass safety inspections. A recent review from the DOT, which can be accessed here, states that the cab company’s fleet was in “deplorable condition.”

Red Dot Taxi, owned by resident Jeff Serlin, recently moved its headquarters from Bridgeport to Commerce Drive in Fairfield, according to the Fairfield Citizen report. It currently operates four cabs but is seeking another 10 in an application filed with the DOT in August.