The Columbus City Council gave its final approval to an ordinance updating the city’s policy on taxi cabs. Police Chief John Rohde explained that this was an effort at modernizing the rules.

Chief Rohde says changes include removing the requirement that taxis are equipped with two-way radios, so long as the driver can reach dispatch immediately. He explained that another change includes how taxi cabs can be identified.

City Council members briefly discussed allowing magnets to be used to identify taxis, but Chief Rohde argued that allowing that would make it easier for non-licensed vehicles to operate as taxi cabs in the city. He says that, currently, there are two licensed taxi companies operating inside Columbus.

City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve the changes.