City staff report recommends lower fees for taxis, Uber license
Posted September 9, 2015 5:34 am.
Last Updated September 9, 2015 6:48 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The long-awaited city staff report about Uber and the taxi industry recommends lower fees for one and increased regulation for the other.
The report recommends dropping the flat fee for taxis to $3.25, a decrease of $1 from $4.25. Beck Taxi had called for that change, urging riders to sign an online petition.
Staff have also recommend bringing Uber and other “technology-based brokerages” within the existing rules, and making it clear that taxi and limousine companies “may only contract and/or connect passengers with municipally-licensed taxicabs and limousines, respectively.”
The report will go before city council next week, on Sept. 16.
Mayor John Tory said Wednesday dropping the base taxi fee would be something he’d support.
“I think if there can be something done to reduce taxi fares, [or to reduce] the overall cost of using a taxi that will help them to be more competitive, the travelling public would be very happy about that,” Tory said.
Taxi drivers have said that fares are just the first step and regulation is the biggest hurdle. The taxi industry claims they’ve lost up to 50 per cent of their income to UberX, a service that allows private drivers to pick up passengers using a phone app.
Here’s what else is in the staff report:
Accessibility:
City staff have recommended issuing 100 new Toronto Taxicab Licences (TTLs) to drivers that are already on the waiting list, to increase the number of wheel-chair accessible cabs that are available.
Insurance:
The city is urged to coordinate with the province for insurance that would protect passengers, drivers, and members of the public for “Private Vehicles-for-Hire” – or UberX cars.
Proof of insurance would also be required.
Criminal background checks:
A company such as Uber (known as Transportation Network Companies) would have to prove to the city that they are keeping tabs on their drivers. That includes criminal background screening, driving record screening, motor vehicle inspections, and electronic record keeping.
