Friday, November 1, 2024

Author: Rita Smith

Opinion/ColumnRide Hailing newsTaxi industry news

Is Toronto going to debate, re-debate, un-debate, uber-debate, meta-debate driver training again, two years later?

Rita Smith

48 hours before today’s Council meeting, Licensing staff have submitted a fulsome “supplement” to the original report, containing loads of information and opinion that should have been before Committee on November 30th.

Now, the full Toronto City Council is supposed to waste everybody’s time debating a staff report that was intended to be written and submitted to Licensing Committee months ago? What was the point of the Committee meeting? Will Toronto wait another two years to launch its driver training program, already the subject of a lawsuit in one tragic death?

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CTA, ATA write Senator Mégie to support Pandemic Observance Day and request sacrifices made by Taxi drivers be noted

Rita Smith

The Canadian Taxi Association (CTA) and Toronto’s Airport Taxi Association (ATA) are supporting Senate Bill S-209, “An Act Respecting Pandemic Observance Day,” introduced by independent Senator Marie-Francoise Mégie of Rougemont.

Both Taxi industry groups are asking Senator Mégie to give special recognition to Taxi drivers, as at least 12 Taxi drivers are known to have died as a result of early contact with COVID-19 in 2020.

”We can confirm that 12 Airport Taxi members contracted COVID and died in the early months of the pandemic,” says ATA president Raninder Singh. “Most of them were picking up passengers from the same cruise ship, and those passengers returned infected with COVID-19.”

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Ontario committee suggests creating third class of employment for gig workers

Rita Smith

On December 9th, the Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee (OWRAC) released its report on the future of work, with recommendations that a “gig workers” category be created. These workers would not have full employee rights but will be offered a different package of benefits and less protection.

“I don’t think Ontarians realize how bad this will be for everyone,” says long-time Uber driver and activist Earla Phillips. “Instead of having employers move toward offering equal protections to everyone, Ontario workers can expect to see their employers now trying to ‘gig-ify’ their jobs. This is bad news for everyone.”

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December 13 starts restricted towing zones pilot, only authorized towing companies to be used

Rita Smith

On December 13th, Ontario will launch its pilot project to introduce “restricted towing zones” on sections of provincial highways in an effort to clear incidents such as collisions or vehicle breakdowns more safely and quickly.

“The ongoing violence in the towing industry is unacceptable, which is why our government is taking action to make the towing industry safer through strengthened oversight and standards,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “Ontario’s towing industry is a vital service on our roads and highways every day, and these actions will help to improve safety for all drivers.”

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Australia sends SOS, asks the world to protest December 4th: “We need help”

Rita Smith

The group Reignite Democracy Australia is asking for an “international SOS from Australia” event on December 4th. “On this date we call upon politicians, international leaders and all concerned citizens to respond to our SOS. Note that whatever tyranny and oppression you see in Australia is destined for your country if we aren’t able to stop it. It seems evident Australia is ‘ground zero’.”

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49% of rideshare users came from TTC, 5% from private cars, Dr. James Cooper tells Committee

Rita Smith

“There’s something called the Bang and Olufsen effect, which is the actual amount of expenditure to achieve the last 5 per cent of benefit. For every person to be served within a certain time, every single vehicle out there needs to be a PTC or for a taxi. So, to highlight the effect of serving everybody in a very precise timescale avoids and ignores the conflict between other traffic and the provision of PTCs. It’s not always possible to achieve particular service levels.

“That was a finding that we see over and over again, the numbers of vehicles create required for service levels of a particular type will in and of themselves create significant harm by their presence, not just with emissions, but things like avoidable accidents.”

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