Halifax city staff say they will investigate whether more safety measures can be added to the city’s cab fleet.
The move is in response to a slate of alleged sexual assaults by cab drivers on passengers. Since May there have been five reported cases of sexual assaults in cabs.
Councillors on the Transportation Standing Committee asked staff to look at how the city can improve security and safety in cabs, Councillor Tim Outhit said.
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Using cameras in cabs, larger and clearer cab numbering, and installing dividers between the front and back of cabs are among the options staff will look at, Outhit said.
“Everything” is on the table and the report will include information on what other jurisdictions are doing to improve safety.
Outhit said the goal is to improve safety for both passengers and drivers.
“We want people to be safe, we want people to feel safe,” he said.
Some representatives from the taxi industry were at Thursday’s meeting. Outhit said they supported measures like adding cameras and adding cab numbers to the sides of cars.
Halifax Regional Police have laid a charge in one of the five recently reported incidents. Const. Dianne Woodworth said police are looking at the possibility the person charged could be responsible for more than one incident.
Multiple cab companies involved
Woodworth said Friday more than one cab company has been involved in the string of reported assaults, based on roof light information that has been provided by victims.
Woodworth reiterated, however, that the names of those companies won’t be released as it is the individual responsible, not the company as a whole.
Halifax police are also asking any other victims who may have had similar experiences to come forward.
“There is a possibility that there could be more victims out there that may not feel comfortable to come forward, but we ask them to do so because they’ve done absolutely nothing wrong.”
She said that members of the public have been calling in tips which has been “extremely helpful” to their investigation.
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