The Issues - More FAQs
If a well-functioning taxi system were described in terms of the needs of the various stakeholders, it would:
- from the customer perspective: be prompt, reliable, comfortable and courteous, and at a fair price
- from a taxi driver perspective: provide a decent return on time and effort invested and to be respected for contributions to the community
- from a taxi industry perspective: be fair and effective regulation that enables business growth and flexibility
- from a regulatory perspective: achieve the goals of public safety, consumer protection, and service quality and quantity
- and from a municipal government perspective: serve municipal purposes, and support tourism and business development goals.
Then what are some of the issues that could be addressed in the current bylaw review to enable these perspectives to be more easily recognized and aligned?
This is an opportune time to reinforce the strengths of the current taxi delivery system as well as address its shortcomings.
Some further FAQs:
Q: What are some regulatory provisions being addressed by other jurisdictions?
A: In other jurisdictions, there are increasing efforts to regulate smarter, based on more information about the industry they oversee. Technology is being mandated to monitor the industry, whether it is GPS to ensure accessible vehicles are on the road, or requirements to submit aggregate data from taxi meters.
Some cities are mandating tat a greater portion of fare increases go to drivers, or capping lease rates.
Q: What could be added to the current bylaw to address the needs of all stakeholders? Why does it need to be reviewed now?
A: The current Bylaw 6M2007 is missing some key elements that are necessary for the system to function in the best interest of the travelling public:
1. There are no performance standards for the industry – nothing that tells cab companies how long the on-hold time can be, how long wait times for accessible taxis can be (for example), and nothing that enables the regulator to manage those standards
2. It doesn’t allow cab companies to match supply with demand. The bylaw forces City Council to wait for complaints and to try and guess how many taxis Calgary needs.
3. There are provisions which put upward pressure on taxi fares, stand rents and plate values, all of which result in creating a deteriorating effect on service.
Calgary needs to take advantage of this opportunity to rethink its current bylaw. All of the indicators point to further deterioration in taxi service if the current rules are left to become even further entrenched.
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