Industry wants to standardize rules for Uber, taxis

CTV Montreal: New taxi coalition Taxi companies in Montreal are joining forces

Taxi companies and other stakeholders are asking the provincial government to standardize the rules for both taxis and Uber.

Alexandre Taillefer, owner of Teo, Diamand, and Hochelaga taxis, as well as Guy Chevrette, the head of the taxi lobby group, and Kamal Subbah, head of the Montreal taxi owners' association, said they presented their proposal to the provincial government on Wednesday.

They said in their quest to modernize the taxi industry in Montreal they want to see taxi drivers operating under the same rules and regulations as Uber drivers, who are currently operating in Quebec under a pilot project.

The coalition wants to see every driver who picks up passengers to have the same permit, the same standard amount of operating insurance, and to charge the same fares.

They are also suggesting all drivers undergo the same amount of training, saying it is not fair that taxi drivers must undergo five weeks of training while Uber drivers get about 20 minutes of instruction.

"We're modernizing the industry and the reason we're here today is because we feel it's not fair," said Taillefer.

He said since the arrival of Uber, many taxi drivers are having trouble making ends meet as customers use the cheaper option.

"We don't have an issue with companies such as Teo. We have issues for all the other people that have mortgaged their houses and are now in a situation where they cannot ever pay the monthly fee for the permit," said Taillefer.

Several drivers, who said they were not consulted about the plan, said they were also concerned about the rules regarding Trudeau airport.

Under the airport's current rules taxi drivers must wait in one area at the airport, while Uber and Teo drivers must park elsewhere.