Welcome to the wild, wild west
Fake signs, bandit cabs, airport protests were all avoidable
by Marc Andre Way
Travellers flying out of Pearson International Airport today may be surprised to see Uber drivers protesting their poverty earnings.
Drivers want the public to know that Uber’s “upfront pay” is actually a clever maneuver which sees drivers earning less money than ever. Ironically, Uber stock went up $10 USD when “upfront pay” went into effect in Canada, as investors are apparently enthused to see earnings rise while driver pay declines.
Welcome to the wild, wild west.
When former Toronto Mayor John Tory threw away that city’s carefully developed Taxi industry regulations in the rush to legalize rideshare, he frequently stated “We don’t want to create the wild, wild west here.” (The “wild, wild west” refers to the western U.S. in the 1800s, a frontier period famed for rough lawlessness.)
Unfortunately, the “wild, wild west” is exactly what has been created in ground transportation since 2014, when municipal governments abandoned the systems which evolved over centuries specifically to protect vulnerable consumers. These systems also worked to ensure drivers could earn a living wage.
Cities failed to enforce their own existing laws when rideshare arrived, and they are failing to enact and enforce new laws now. This has to be corrected.
Fake signage a safety concern
For example, in light of the numerous “fake Taxi scams” which are taking place across Canada this year, I wrote to Amazon’s CEO on August 9th to request that Amazon stop selling generic “Taxi” roof lights which are being used to confuse consumers and rip them off. (Amazon refuses to stop.)
Police in Ottawa and municipalities across Ontario are warning consumers to beware of the “fake Taxi scam,” in which a distraught person with cash in their hand approaches a targeted victim and claims that their Taxi driver won’t accept cash. The con artist asks to use the victim’s debit card in exchange for cash. The victim’s card is then swiped – and compromised – by the fake Taxi driver. Some victims have had thousands of dollars drained from their bank accounts, or seen their credit cards maxed out on fraudulent purchases.
Amazon also carries Uber and Lyft decals, magnets, and illuminated signs. Consumers in need of a ride really need to be alert, to determine whether the driver pulling up to them at the curb after an event are actually who and what they say they are.
It’s terrible that innocent citizens are having their debit and credit cards compromised by these criminals; however, as a parent, I fear that even worse things could happen. A much more frightening situation would be when bad people realize that with a cheap Amazon roof sign, they could easily lure vulnerable people into their vehicle.
One Ottawa police officer, when he learned that Amazon was selling “Taxi” roof signs and Uber decals exclaimed “Ohmygod, how would a woman leaving a club after drinking know that was not real?”
Well, she wouldn’t know, and that’s the whole point.
Bandit cabs, direct calls to drivers, insurance questions
Beyond Taxi and Uber signage and pricing, confusion reigns over payment options and rates, too. In theory, rideshare vehicles can only be summoned through the app and paid for by credit card – but in reality, lots of drivers hand out their personal phone number to customers and say, “Next time, call me directly, and I’ll give you a cash discount.”
Such clients are known as “lockdowns.” They now comprise a significant segment of the market. “Lockdowns” calling directly to an Uber driver they first met through the app are also likely unaware that the driver, vehicle, and passenger are not covered by commercial insurance on those trips.
Further confusing things, because Uber drivers are legally allowed to surge pricing during peak periods, some Taxi drivers also began asking for higher rates at busy times. (While this may seem fair, it is illegal.)
Currently, Pearson Airport is even considering allowing surge pricing and price discounting for Taxis, which have been subject to standardized rates for decades. Apparently, the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) has forgotten why regulations were developed 40 years ago (to protect passengers from constantly changing rates). Does the GTAA actually believe weary travellers want to end a long journey by haggling over the price of their ride home?
Today, travellers will be faced with roving convoys and picket lines of rideshare protesters, not exactly a warm welcome to the GTA.
Accessible Taxi service has been disrupted
Persons with disabilities who had previously been able to request a wheelchair accessible vehicle on-demand are disappointed to find that now, it may be impossible to get one at certain times, or without a very long wait. In the wild, wild west, Taxi drivers cannot afford to purchase and maintain these expensive vehicles. It is a challenge to attract operators to this important work 24/7, and people have been left stranded at times as a result.
All of this chaos and confusion was completely avoidable: we had workable laws in 2014. We simply did not enforce them.
All of these important consumer protections were tossed aside when rideshare was rushed to legalization. Logic, common sense, driver professionalism and all the important safety lessons learned since Britain licensed the first hackney cab driver in 1662 flew out the window. Why?
Physical safety and consumer protection ought to be the highest priority in the design of any public system. Canadians count on government to oversee systems designed to keep them safe.
When rideshare arrived in 2014, willfully and gleefully operating outside of multiple existing laws, Ottawa ignored its own laws and rushed to invent a way to legalize them, as decided by Justice Marc Smith on May 13th, 2024.
A decade has now passed. It’s time to have an adult discussion about the “wild, wild west” that’s been created; whether any laws need to be updated; and, most importantly, consistent enforcement of these laws by dedicated enforcement teams.
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Marc Andre Way is the president of the Canadian Taxi Association and CEO of Coventry Connections.
