UPDATE: Michelle Gibbons and her son Brody, got what they were hoping for from Black Top cabs today.
Gibbons received an apology and was told the cab driver responsible for ejecting her and six-year-old Brody from his taxi — because they didn’t have the correct voucher — has been suspended indefinitely. The taxi voucher, which had been given to the pair by the BC Children’s Hospital, was for Yellow Cab. When the driver found out, he ejected the two along with their luggage from his taxi.
But the incident sparked a change in taxi voucher policies from hospitals for all Vancouver taxis.
“The Vancouver Taxi Association got together last night and decided we need to cater to the public and we’re prepared to accept all the vouchers,” Black Top president Amrik Mahil said.
He said the incident involving Gibbons and Brody was a “wake-up call for the industry.”
Previous story:
A mother of a six-year-old child with cerebral palsy and Marfan syndrome is seeking answers after a taxi ride gone astray.
Michelle Gibbons and her son Brody live in Kelowna, but last month they were medevaced to Children’s Hospital in Vancouver after Brody began suffering from seizures.
When they were ready to leave the hospital, a staff member gave her a taxi voucher for the airport.
Less than 30 minutes later, Michelle says she and Brody were on the side of the road, their baggage on its side, after a Black Top taxi driver abruptly kicked them out of cab.
“He opened the door and roughly threw my bags on the road.”
Saif Ullah, a general manager with Black Top, says “technically she was not thrown out.”
“This was the voucher given to her,” he told Global News, pointing to a copy of the voucher Children’s Hospital gave Gibbons.
“It clearly says Yellow Cab. The voucher goes to Yellow Cab, and they get paid. It doesn’t work on any taxi. It has to go to Yellow Cab.”
“He did a good job,” added Ullah.
“He actually took her back.”
But Children’s Hospital Vice President Barbara Fitzsimmons says they have an account with Black Top and the voucher was valid.
“The taxi unequivocally should have taken Michelle and her son to the airport,” she said, adding that the vouchers still say Yellow Cab because the account is new.
As for Gibbons? Another Black Top cab quickly picked her and Brody up – and accepted the voucher – but she’s been asking the company for an explanation. So far, none has come.
“I think they at least could have apologized for that,” she said.
“It’s a respect issue.”
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