Carriage company ordered to end rides in St. Louis, county

ST. LOUIS — A carriage company has been ordered to stop giving rides in St. Louis and St. Louis County after allegations it used unlicensed drivers and worked horses on extremely hot days.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Taxicab Commission, which governs vehicles for hire, ordered Brookdale Farms to end the rides after a hearing last week.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported carriage rides are prohibited when heat and humidity cause a “feels-like” temperature of 100 degrees.

Jerry Kirk, owner of Brookdale Farms, said Friday he won’t stop operating his carriages. He said his company abides by the rules on heat days and it is unclear whether the taxi commission has the authority to govern carriages. He also said licensing fees have risen dramatically, causing a financial burden for part-time drivers.

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com