“Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, driver training for the vehicle-for-hire industry remains delayed.”
City Councillor Krystin Wong-Tam told CTV news, “I do not believe COVID-19 is a legitimate reason, largely because this Council Direction came back in 2019. We know that it was very important to City Council. We did say to City Staff ‘Get this done.’”
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Uber and Lyft drivers in Toronto are organizing to support the September 28th international strike for better working conditions. Drivers are being asked to log off of their apps, and passengers are being asked to take a taxi, a shuttle or a bus on “APPS OFF” day around the globe.
Members of the taxi industry note that the regulatory framework Uber drivers are asking for is essentially the system that existed before Toronto re-wrote its by-law in 2016.
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Travellers will not be required to provide proof of vaccination to get take out food or use the washrooms at OnRoute plazas. Photo: RWN As of this morning, September 22nd, proof of two vaccinations and photo identification are required in
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The App Drivers and Couriers Union is asking app drivers around the globe to go on strike on September 28th as part of it’s “Apps Off!” protest for better pay, better rights and safety.
“I ask riders on this day: take a taxi, take a shuttle, take a bus, but switch your Uber apps OFF…I ask all riders to stand in solidarity with your drivers, so we can really make an impact.”
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On September 1st, Premier Doug Ford announced that Ontario will soon require people to be fully vaccinated and provide “proof of their vaccination status,” otherwise known as a “Vaccine Passport” to access certain businesses and settings.
As of September 22, 2021, Ontarians will need to be fully vaccinated (two doses plus 14 days) and provide their proof of vaccination along with photo ID to access certain public settings and facilities, including indoor restaurants, gyms, sporting events, casinos and strip clubs. A similar program became effective in British Columbia on September 13th.
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“The first time I picked up Andy, it was by chance. I didn’t know anything about him,” recalls Checker Cab driver Sam Elkhatib, a 25 year Taxi industry veteran.
“The moment he saw me, he came and gave me a hug. His mom Anne was shocked and said, ‘He’s never done that – he doesn’t do that. Andy stays away from people.’
“Andy travelled with an aide,” Sam explains. “We were on the highway when Andy started screaming, and it startled me big time.
“The aide said, ‘You didn’t know?’ I said, ‘Didn’t know WHAT?” Sam laughs, remembering. “That was our first day.”
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On September 8th, the City of Toronto announced that it will be providing an update on Vehicle-for-Hire regulations to the General Government and Licensing Committee in November.
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ost of the city, what came to be called “Ground Zero” was unapproachable, it’s goings on left for our imaginations to provide some semblance of reality. I certainly have my personal recollections but the one that sticks is simple and personal. Around 6:30 p.m., one our friends there in the center there told us hundreds were gathering for prayers and readings and just spontaneous moral support. He suggested we go as well and do “what we do;” ie, chant the Hare Krsna Mantra.
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Parents using Taxi apps to get their kids to after-school activities is a growing segment of industry business. Photo: Checker Transportation Group Taxi companies with their own Apps are helping parents with one of the trickiest parts of the day:
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