January 25, 2000
Reply:
Renée Mina
Licensing Sub-Committee
4th Floor, West Tower
rmina@toronto.ca
To: Planning and Transportation Committee
From: City Clerk, Licensing Sub-Committee
Subject: Taxi Driver Safety
Recommendations:
The Licensing Sub-Committee recommends that:
(1) City Council direct the City Solicitor to amend the Licensing By-law 20-85 so that taxi drivers are granted the
right to demand a pre-paid deposit on a taxi fare; and
(2) the Acting Commissioner, Urban Development Services, be requested to report to the Sub-Committee on an
appropriate protocol and pre-paid amount towards a taxi fare.
Background:
At its meeting on January 24, 2000, the Licensing Sub-Committee received a verbal report by the Acting Executive
Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards Division, regarding the City's survey of the taxi industry on taxi safety
devices.
The following individuals addressed the Sub-Committee on taxi driver safety:
(1) Gerry Manley, Taxi Owner
(2) Peter Zahakos, Operations Manager, Co-op Cabs
(3) Steve Okopny, Okan Industries
(4) Gene MacDonald, Publisher, Cab Connection
(5) Eugene W. Meikle, President, Toronto Taxi Drivers' Association (TTDA)
(6) Wilma Jean Walsh, Drivers on the Waiting List
(7) Andy Reti, Cab Connection
(8) Jim Bell, Diamond Taxicab
(9) John Duffy, Taxi News
The Sub-Committee received the following submissions:
· (January 24, 2000) News Release titled "City Surveys Taxi Industry on Taxi Safety Devices"
· (January 24, 2000) from Eugene Meikle, Toronto Taxi Drivers' Association
· (undated) recommendations by the Toronto Taxi Drivers' Association
· (January 24, 2000) from Councillor Chong
· (November 11 and 23, 1999 and January 24, 2000) from Gerald Manley
· (January 2000) from Steve Okopny, Okan Industries Ltd.
The Sub-Committee reports, for the information of the Planning and Transportation Committee, having requested the
Acting Commissioner, Urban Development Services to:
(1) advise all taxi drivers, in the next mailing, of the discretionary powers granted by the Licensing By-law with respect to
refusing a taxi fare; and
(2) report to the Sub-Committee at its meeting on March 31, 2000 on:
a) the possibility of a mandatory Global Positioning System (GPS) for taxis, and to meet with ambulance officials to
determine the feasibility of using the system already in place for the Toronto ambulance system;
b) the merits and costs related to GPS, lights, shields, strong boxes, cameras and to explore safety devices used by other
jurisdictions;
c) other GPS systems available, the cost of these systems, and the protocols necessary to make the GPS system workable as
a safety measure;
d) the possible use of a switch to open radio frequency;
e) the means by which safety devices will be paid for;
f) a Bill of Rights for drivers; and
g) the results of the City's survey of the taxi industry on taxi safety devices;
(3) report to the Sub-Committee's meeting on February 14, 2000 on an estimated cost to mandate the strong box safety
device and how soon this device can be implemented; and
(4) review the following and report back to the Sub-Committee:
a) the Manitoba Transportation Fraud Legislation;
b) the possibility of customer order verification, in consultation with the brokerages; and
c) the issue of purpose built vehicles, in consultation with other licensing bodies in order to develop an industry standard
vehicle.
City Clerk
Renée Mina
Item 1
Sent to: Acting Commissioner, Urban Development Services
Interested Persons
