September 19, 2006
By Danielle Milley Staff Writer
* Pickering News Advertiser
PICKERING -- After more than a year and a half of discussion, the City of Pickering now has a new, comprehensive taxicab bylaw.
The bylaw, compiled by the Taxicab Advisory Committee, was passed at the Sept. 18 council meeting.
While there remain concerns in the industry about the bylaw, Ward 1 Regional Councillor Maurice Brenner, chairman of the Taxicab Advisory Committee, said it is flexible enough to address the questions and concerns of the dozens of people who spoke at a public meeting in July and who have sent e-mails or letters to the City.
Ward 3 Regional Councillor Rick Johnson introduced a deferral motion to have council vote on the bylaw in two weeks, but it didn't receive any support from any other councillors.
He was concerned, given the lack of people in the gallery, that there hadn't been enough notice about the bylaw being passed. He referred to a letter from Michael Webster, a lawyer representing two Pickering taxi companies, that mentioned three primary concerns.
Mr. Webster said his clients were concerned that the drivers make a decent wage; if the drivers are not making a sufficient wage, customer service suffers as drivers are impatient and frustrated with their fares; and with improving the overall demand for services.
Other councillors felt by having a taxicab advisory committee that met extensively and was open to members of the industry who were not on the committee that the bylaw was comprehensive.
"Coun. Brenner and the committee have done a wonderful job of addressing the three concerns," Ward 2 Regional Councillor Bill McLean said.
Mayor Dave Ryan agreed.
"This has been a very lengthy and inclusive process," he said. He then asked Coun. Brenner to give an overview of how the committee worked and came up with the bylaw.
He said the meetings were open to those who were not appointed to the committee and they were allowed to participate, not just sit and listen.
"Everyone had an opportunity in that room (to participate)," he said, adding the committee unanimously endorsed the bylaw.
The new bylaw covers fees, driver rights and responsibilities, and passenger rights and responsibilities, as well as a range of other areas such as the requirement for drivers to complete a training and testing program, maintenance and vehicle condition guidelines, a driver dress code, and the requirement to have 10 per cent of Pickering's fleet be clean air cabs.
It takes effect Jan. 1.
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