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Uber to pick up unaccompanied teens

At its May 17th “Go-Get Family Style” launch event, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi stressed the company’s safety features which include dialling 911 in case of emergency (although, Uber’s Terms explain “In the event that you need to place a 911 emergency call on behalf of your teen, the dispatcher you’re connected with will see your location, not your teen’s.” How would that help?)

As a parent and a consumer, the sheer number of sexual assaults by Uber drivers in Canada and around the globe set alarm bells ringing.

As the publisher of Taxi News, I cringe recalling comments from an Uber driver who laughed that he didn’t drive for the money: “It’s to meet chicks, man, the chicks you meet at closing time!”

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Net Zero report for VFH to Committee July 6th

Updated May 25th with estimated date of Net Zero VFH staff report ***** The staff report outlining Toronto’s vehicle-for-hire industry transition to net-zero emissions by 2030 is now expected at the July 6th meeting of the Economic and Community Development Committee

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Uber rescued municipalities from their own failure to understand supply and demand principles; Taxi paid the price

The city had opened a Pandora’s Box when it initiated the restricted entry, equity licensing regime. By the time I entered the business, the city was trying to find a way of extricating itself from this system.

The main problem with extrication was that too many industry participants had invested their lives in the system the city had created. Thus, any move to eliminate the equity plate system was met with strong opposition from those who stood to lose everything they had worked for.
The city opted for a stealth approach.

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Mammoliti promises to end “open entry,” fix insurance for Taxis if elected mayor

Giorgio Mammoliti promised that if elected Toronto’s mayor, he will end open entry for Vehicles for Hire and make his first phone call to Doug Ford and tell him to “fix Taxi insurance.”
Mammoliti was speaking at an event organized for members of the Taxi industry in a North York banquet hall on May 15th.

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Candidate Rob Davis irked by restrictive debate format

TORONTO, ON – Mayoral candidate Rob Davis – Toronto’s first Black city councillor and a three-term council member – today called on the city’s civic organizations and media to ensure equitable access to debate platform exposure on a wide range of issues.

“Toronto has a diverse population with wide-ranging interests and priorities.  For democracy to thrive, it’s important that our public discourse affords equitable exposure to ideas from candidates reflecting the regions and communities that make up our city – and not just ideas from perceived front-runners,” said Davis.

Davis issued the call after the Toronto Region Board of Trade and TVO informed candidates of a restrictive format for their May 25th debate that gives an unfair advantage to sitting councillors and other candidates who have high name recognition in the early stages of the campaign.

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