FORT WALTON BEACH — Scruffy and poorly dressed cab drivers working at Northwest Florida Regional Airport no longer will face the possibility of jail time for their grooming choices.
Okaloosa County commissioners voted Tuesday to adopt a new airport ground transportation policy, which is regulated by a county ordinance.
Under the new policy, drivers with more than three violations of the airport’s dress code might be suspended or have their airport permit revoked.
The policy still dictates that cab drivers “shall practice good hygiene” with clothes that are clean and without holes, and with hair neatly trimmed. Shorts can be worn, but they can’t be more than 3 inches above the knee. Flip flops, or thong sandals, are not allowed.
County Commissioner Nathan Boyles had pushed for the rewrite and urged the commission to scrap the ordinance entirely and let it exist simply as an Airports Department policy. He said it was “absurd” that a cab driver in violation of a dress code could theoretically face a misdemeanor charge punishable by fine or jail.
The commission approved the new policy but chose to keep the law regulating the policy on the books.
Boyles said he approved of the changes but voted against the policy “on principle.”
“I appreciate the upgrade to the policy,” he said. “I just don’t think this is the way to go about the process.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari C. Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.
