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Some drivers for the cab fleet at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport are refusing to drive with cars that carry signs advertising the Gay Games hosted by Cleveland in August.

(Plain Dealer file photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Some drivers of the zone-based taxis operating out of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport have notified their companies they don't want to drive the cabs for religious reasons, citing rooftop placards that are advertising the

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Hopkins released a statement saying that two of the three taxi companies operating at the airport -- Ace and Yellow Taxi – were informed by several of their drivers they will no longer participate in the airport's dedicated taxi cab program.

Patrick Keenan, general manager for the third company, Americab, said two of his drivers also have opted not to drive because of the Gay Games ads. The drivers are Muslims, Keenan and Hopkins spokeswoman Jackie Mayo said.

The drivers told their companies that their decision was based on religious reasons, Hopkins said in its statement.

The airport said it brokered an agreement between the taxi cab stand operator, Standard Parking, and the cab companies to allow for replacing drivers who don't want to drive in the 75-cab Hopkins fleet. The companies plan to backfill the fleet with metered taxi cabs until each company can hire permanent drivers for the airport program. Hopkins cabs charge fixed amounts for the zone of the metro area you're going to, rather than charging based on a running meter.

It is expected to take about two to three weeks to repopulate the fleet.

Tom Nobbe, executive director of the Gay Games coming to Cleveland in August, could not be immediately reached.

At Americab, Keenan explained that the airport sells the space on the taxis' roof-mounted placards and gets any revenue generated from the advertising.

"We don't have any objections to the signage," he said. "We're fully supportive of the games. We're not in concert with (the protesting drivers) on that. We don't share those views."