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Owners of the three cab companies in Kincardine want council to take
another look at the proposed taxi bylaw.
Karen Page of Kincardine Taxi, speaking on behalf of Fred's Cabs and U
Wanna as well, told Kincardine council last night (Nov. 18) that the
owners are opposed to the restriction that states vehicles over 10 years
of age cannot be used as cabs. If this bylaw is approved, she said, then
Kincardine will have only four taxis on the road, compared to the
current 11. They want the current taxi bylaw to remain in effect until
they can meet with council and the Kincardine police services board to
discuss this issue.
"We offered to have vehicles checked every six months in order to
maintain the number of vehicles we have," she said. "Age does not mean
the vehicles are unsafe or unclean or that there are any problems. We
get them safetied and that means we've done what we can do to maintain
our vehicles."
The owners are also concerned about the requirement for $2-million
liability insurance on each vehicle, said Page. This would increase the
premiums by $500/vehicle for the cab companies which are already looking
at insurance hikes of 15-17% next year, she said.
"The changes to the taxi bylaw all limit our business," said Page. "Yet
our issues are not even included in the bylaw." She cited several
problems, including the fact that it takes four months for a driver to
get a taxi licence, and in many cases, the owners are not even notified.
The same goes for vehicles, she said.
"We asked for a temporary licence for our drivers, and then if there's a
problem, that licence could be revoked," she said.
In addition, the owners are concerned about other drivers in the
community who are taking people to appointments. "We understand there
are volunteer drivers, but a volunteer is someone who is not expecting
to be paid unless he is paid by the charitable organization for his gas
or mileage," said Page. "There are organizations with volunteer drivers
and they are charging the passengers for the ride downtown. You limit
our business with your bylaw but provide us with no protection in the
event other people are coming in and driving people places."
She said the cab companies are prepared to have safety checks done on
their vehicles every six months, as was included in the original taxi
bylaw that came to council, but they object to the 10-year age limit for
the vehicles. They will also be coming back to council for a rate hike
once the PST and GST are combined next summer. "That will hit the senior
citizens hard, and they are the majority of our passengers," said Page.
Councillor Guy Anderson said seniors are concerned about affordable
transportation in this community. "My car is 15 years old and it's
holding together pretty good," he said. "I think we should go with the
six-month safety checks; if the vehicle is not road-worthy, it would be
pulled off the road. I have no problem getting rid of the 10-year age
limit clause."
Councillor Kenneth Craig suggested tabling the motion until the police
services board has another look at the bylaw with a delegation from the
cab companies.
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"The original recommendation was changed by council," said councillor
Marsha Leggett. "If people are driving people around, it's their issue.
If they have an accident and get sued, it has nothing to do with
council."
"I'm not sure what you mean, Marsha (Leggett), that council changed the
bylaw," said deputy mayor Laura Haight.
"In meetings with the taxi owners, the police services board had an
agreement with them," said Leggett. "And they agreed with what was
written down. It came to council, and council requested changes be
made."
"I thought the bylaw was sent back to the police services board to look
at the vehicle age issue," said Haight. "Did we change the 10-year age
thing?"
"The 10-year age limit was in the original recommendation, as well as
the six-month safety check," said clerk Donna MacDougall.
"Is the police services board aware that of the 11 taxis, seven would be
taken off the road if we approve this bylaw?" asked Haight.
"The board had no idea the number of cabs that were over 10 years old,"
said Leggett.
Mayor Larry Kraemer said it's not fair to hold the cab companies to a
standard he doesn't operate under in his own business. "If I had this
vehicle age restriction, I would have to take half my fleet off the
road," he said.
He is in favour of the $2-million liability insurance which actually
protects the vehicle owner as much as anyone else.
Councillor Ron Hewitt said the bylaw has already been in front of the
police services board twice so there is no point in sending it back
again. He suggested it go to the corporate services committee and
council can make a decision there. "It wouldn't be the end of the world
if we didn't pass this bylaw tonight," he said.
Council agreed to refer the matter to the corporate services committee
meeting in December. Haight added that council should look at taxi rates
and fees as well.
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