B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation has launched an investigation into a Penticton senior service company following complaints from a local taxi company.
The owner of Eckhardt Senior Services, Kerry Delong, says he’s providing a valuable service to around 1,000 clients in the community but local cab companies are taking issue with the way he operates.
“The company is part of an ongoing investigation and has been ordered to cease and desist from providing any taxi-like or curb-to-curb service,” Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure spokesperson Trish Rorison said in an email statement.
The fine for operating without a license, Rorison said, is $1,150 per offence. However Delong is not worried about being fined or the complaints against his business.
“Cabs are curb-to-curb. We are beyond the curb, we are over the curb and into their house. We are insured to take them right inside their home and make sure they’re comfortable,” Delong said.
He said he’s operating a companion service for the elderly and disabled, much different from a taxi service.
“We’ve taken seniors shopping, we’ve done grocery shopping for them,” said Delong. “We were out shoveling driveways and making sure seniors with walkers get out of their appointments and what not.”
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Delong said he charges $55.00 for an hour of service. However, for the first 10 minutes of service, it’s only $5.00.
Co-owner of Courtesy Taxi and Klassic Kabs, Amar Kahlon, said that low rate of $5.00 is taking a big bite of his business.
“I bought a wheelchair accessible vehicle for clients, I spent almost $40,000 to get this on the road and we are charging the same fare for four passenger vehicles, six passengers or wheelchair accessible vans,” Kahlon said.
“With $5.00 per ride that’s going to affect us hugely and it’s already been doing that.”
Delong’s business was shut down for a few months when it first opened in 2013 because of complaints it was operating like a taxi business.
Back then, Delong had one vehicle and the Passenger Transportation Board (PTB) deemed because he’s offering more than just rides, he doesn’t need a PTB license.
That means he’s not subjected to the same sort of PTB regulations that a cab company is.
Kahlon said that includes things like regular safety inspections of vehicles, higher liability insurance, and driver qualifications.
“All of the drivers, they have to have a chauffeur permit, so they applied to the RCMP and a criminal check is done on them… they all have to have a class four license,” Kahlon said.
On top of the cab companies’ concerns with the $5.00 charge for the first 10 minutes of service as well as not needing a license from the PTB, Kahlon said he takes issue with the fact that Delong’s business has grown its fleet from just one vehicle.
Delong said he’s well aware of the concerns but said he’s filling a need in the community.
“I’ve kind of pushed the limits and expanded to six vehicles in the past year and that’s what’s kind of gotten the cab companies upset,” Delong said.
The ministry said its only received complaints from the same company, Penticton Taxi, and that it’s following up.
“To date, we have been unable to substantiate the accusations… We continue to investigate this company and any new complaints that are received,” Rorison said.
“If the company is found to be operating illegally, they will be issued a violation ticket and ordered to stop what they are doing.”
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