Toronto Taxi Alliance launches campaign to oppose city reforms

VIDEO: Taxi Alliance launches citywide ad campaign to call for public support. Mark Carcasole reports.

TORONTO – The Toronto Taxi Alliance (TTA) has launched a campaign to inform citizens on the impact a series of taxi reforms will have on riders if they are passed at city council next year.

Members of the group, which is made up of taxi owners, drivers, brokerages, fleets and agents, say the reforms can have a direct impact on how the industry runs its business.

“The consequences of many of these reforms have not been thoroughly imagined, and it’s our responsibility to make Torontonians aware that this review is taking place and shed light on the impact it could have if these reforms pass,” said Gail Souter, co-founder of the TTA in a media release.

Some of the 44 proposed reforms include requiring all drivers to purchase wheelchair accessible vehicles by 2025, the cost of which the alliance says will then be passed down to passengers through increased cab fares.

But a spinal cord advocacy group says wheelchair access is a vital service and that only 3.5 per cent of the current taxi fleet is accessible and that it is contracted out to Wheeltrans.

“What this means is no one with a mobility issue in Toronto can be guaranteed a cab in 10 minutes,” said Bill Adair, CEO of Spinal Cord Injury Ontario in a media release. “In fact, usually the customer is asked to book a day ahead of time.”

The Taxicab Industry Review recommendations were original planned to be brought to city council this fall, but that has since been pushed back to next year due to overwhelming opposition.

“In light of this recent organizing of industry participants, and the volume of input continuing to be received, it is critically important that we continue the analysis and consideration of this input, as it relates to the Framework,” according a statement on the City of Toronto website.

The city staff’s final report will now be rescheduled and brought back to the Licensing and Standards Committee on January 23, 2014.