Cab clean-up took “only a couple of hours” after baby born in Beck Taxi on Friday the 13th

Driver Veron Warnor has been driving for Beck Taxi for five years. “Every decision he made, he had her in mind, her well-being and the baby’s well-being … It just speaks so much to his character,” Kristine Hubbard said. Photo: Beck Taxi

Although he was not expecting to deliver a baby in the back seat of his cab, Beck Taxi driver Vernon Warnor was well-prepared for the birth on Friday, January 13th.

“Vernon was well-prepared with blankets, and his seats are wet-resistant along with his plastic floor mats,” Beck Taxi Operations Manager Kristine Hubbard told Taxi News. “He was able to clean up in a couple of hours.”

The birth of an infant in the back seat of a cab occurs every few years because the mothers are in fact en route to the hospital when the speedy birth occurs. While media and readers enjoy the upbeat stories, they are usually unaware that such an event can put the driver out of business for a day or more as they are required to have the cab cleaned and made ready for use again. This may involve professional upholstery cleaning or steam cleaning.

Warnor was responding to his first call of the day Friday, just after 6am. He reported to the address given to find a pregnant woman and her toddler daughter, asking to be taken to hospital.

When the woman’s water broke only a few minutes later, Warnor abandoned the idea of getting to the hospital, pulled into a gas station and called 911. However, by the time the emergency vehicles showed up, the baby had been born.

“Vernon came in to the office and we gave him $200 in gas cards as a start; we will also be compensating him for the time he is taking to tell his story and appear in the news,” says Hubbard. Since Friday, Warnor has been interviewed by CTV, CBC, Global and others.

Baby born in a Beck today! Mom and baby (and Vernon the driver!) are all doing well. ?? #BeckBabies #FridayThe13th #Toronto

— Kristine Hubbard (@KristineHubbard) January 13, 2023