Waterloo Region's new taxi, ride-hailing bylaw 'furthest thing from a level playing field,' says Waterloo Taxi
Pete Neufeld of Waterloo Taxi says region gave Uber 'everything they requested'

cbc.ca
By Kate Bueckert
Sept. 23, 2016

A new bylaw that covers taxis and ride-hailing services in the region does not go far enough to regulate the industry, the president of Waterloo Taxi says.

Pete Neufeld, who is also vice president of the Waterloo Region Taxi Alliance, said after 13 months of review, not much has changed for Uber, RideCo and other ride-hailing services.

"What they've done is put a few regulations in place for them but I don't think it's enough," Neufeld said Thursday after the Region of Waterloo council approved the new Vehicle for Hire bylaw, which will come into effect December 1.

"Basically, [the region] gave [Uber] everything they requested," he said.

The new bylaw has said ride-hailing vehicles must have two decals on the vehicle while in service, and the drivers must carry insurance.

But the bylaw did not mandate drivers put cameras into the cars.

"The whole concept flies in the face of what they've created over 30 years of regulating us and they've basically just dismantled it and said none of that's necessary. But, and here's the catch-22, we're still required to follow those rules," Neufeld said. "They say this is a level playing field. It's the furthest thing from a level playing field."

Ride-hailing drivers do not go through the some kinds of tests that cab drivers do, Neufeld said.

For him, a driver needs to know the area very well and act as an ambassador for the cab company.

"That's the part that drives me nuts. An applicant comes to our company, he has to go through a rigorous vetting process, then a two week training process and then ultimately the last is a driven test with myself," Neufeld said.

He added the rise of ride-hailing services has significantly hurt cab drivers, who buy into the taxi business like they would a franchise.

"A lot of the guys are upset. A lot of these guys invested their life savings into buying a business that they thought they would be able to operate for a number of years and then sell and have their retirement package. As you know we're all self-employed, so there are no pensions involved. These would be our pensions, so to speak," Neufeld said.