Corp Comm Connects

Proposed taxi bylaw attempts to keep traditional industry stable

TheRecord.com
June 7, 2016
Paige Desmond  

Regional politicians vote Wednesday on a proposed vehicle-for-hire bylaw that would make Uber legal but also attempts to offset the impact on the traditional taxi industry.

"I support it all," Coun. Jane Mitchell, chair of the region's licensing and hearings committee, said the bylaw. "Some of course was a bit of a compromise.

"As far as the taxis it's just trying to keep things stable for them for the next little while," she said. "Their industry's in a bit of upheaval so the idea is that everything stays pretty much the same for them for the next little while but then we also have the auxiliary taxis as well."

Coun. Geoff Lorentz said he's not so sure the rules go far enough to level the playing field and he'll be looking for changes.

"I think we need to look at some ways for these business people, our taxi drivers, some ways of levelling out the playing field or at least have the ability of a fighting chance to be able to compete with these app-based ride-share companies," he said.

Under the region's current taxi bylaw, Uber is illegal.

A new bylaw has been in the works for about a year and was supposed to go into effect Jan. 1.

The taxi industry has lobbied to keep Uber out, but now says the app is welcome if drivers follow the same rules as taxis.

Uber launched the app here last July and has continued to operate despite the bylaw. Past public input and council meetings on the issue have been tense, with many from the taxi industry in attendance.

Staff have made some key changes to the proposed bylaw since it was last discussed in May.

One key recommendation is to keep a taxi licence ratio until 2018. Staff originally recommended phasing out the limits over competition concerns.

Under the current taxi bylaw, one licence is issued for every 1,650 people in Waterloo Region. Once the bylaw is approved, a ratio of one licence for every 1,500 people would be instituted.

That creates about a dozen new licences, but after that no more new licences would be created until the ratio restriction is reviewed in 2018.

"Even though the population might increase in that interim period, we don't intend to increase the number of licences and this is something that the taxi brokers themselves asked us to do to give them some time to think about things," said Kris Fletcher, the region's director of council and administrative services.

There would be no limit on licences for auxiliary taxis such as Uber.

Staff also recommend maintaining regional approval of fare rates for traditional taxis, but they would be allowed to offer discounts.

Despite opposition expressed by some in the taxi industry during the public consultation process, all traditional taxis would be required to install surveillance cameras until they can provide an app similar to Uber, which would provide driver information and a photo to passengers in advance, among other requirements.

In the past year or so, some local taxi drivers installed surveillance cameras in their cabs after a series of drivers were accused of sexually assaulting passengers.

After much debate about how to handle the issue of accessibility, staff are now recommending that vehicles for hire not offering accessible service pay $50 per vehicle into a special fund.

"I don't think that is enough," Lorentz said.

The cash would be used to either augment regional transportation accessibility programs or to help other brokers offer more accessible vehicles.

Under the existing bylaw, seven per cent of the taxi fleet must be accessible by 2017. That will be reviewed in 2018. Cabbies have in the past complained it is unfair to have two different sets of rules.

Politicians are expected to approve some version of the bylaw this week and confirm the vote at the next council meeting.

Ten delegations have registered to speak at Wednesday's 3:30 p.m. meeting, but people who have not registered are also welcome to speak. Council meets in chambers at regional headquarters, 150 Frederick St. in Kitchener.

Here are highlights of the proposed bylaw: