‘Drivers need security now’: Saskatoon council pumps the brakes on taxi bylaw changes

City council wanted to make some changes to how taxis operate in Saskatoon, but safety and pricing concerns put the brakes on updates. Keenan Sorokan reports.

Concerns over driver safety and an overhaul for large vehicle fares put the brakes on a number of changes to the city’s taxi bylaw Wednesday.

As part of a periodical review to address regulatory issues with taxi operations, city administration was proposing eight changes to the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw at city council’s regular business meeting on Wednesday.

However, one proposed change not listed in the report was anything to increase driver safety.

On May 18, Saskatoon police responded to a 51-year-old taxi driver who was shot with a BB gun in a parking lot after a fare refused to pay and was asked to leave the taxi. That same driver made a presentation to proposed taxi changes at the city’s transportation committee a few days earlier.

“It was just a couple of weeks ago, were sitting here in committee and a gentleman came to do a presentation and just the other day he was shot in the face with a pellet gun,” Ward 3 Coun. Robert Pearce said.

“I’m in favour of doing these things but I want to know when because these drivers need security now.”

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Mayor Cynthia Block said she understands taxi drivers face additional threats of violence compared to their ridesharing counterparts because of the differing business models of the two industries. Unlike rideshare companies, where users agree to the fare prior to pick up, taxi drivers are paid once a fare is complete.

Block wondered if the city could implement a deposit system similar to a fuel pump where a customer pays a predetermined amount ahead of the trip and then is charged for the actual fare once it is complete.

City administration said there isn’t currently anything written into the bylaw to increase driver safety, and it would consider a number of different options if directed by council.

However, Ward 5 Coun. Randy Donauer was unsure of the city delving into the operations of private companies rather than the regulatory framework it is meant to address.

“My preference is that we actually have less regulation over a private enterprise than more,” Donauer said. “So, I think what I’m going to be looking for is for us to find a balance between ensuring there’s driver safety and us writing a bylaw about it — we don’t do that for other private businesses, or very few, across the city.”

Another concern curbing changes to the bylaw was a change to van fares. Currently, a rate of 1.5 times the total fare is applied when a van taxi is transporting five or more passengers or more luggage or freight than a sedan-type taxi can accommodate.

Administration said this process has been in place since 2005 to compensate van drivers travelling great distances. Now that 44 per cent of licensed taxis are vans in a much larger city than 21 years ago, this system has resulted in disproportionately higher van rate fares for longer trips compared to short trips.

The rate is also applied at the discretion of the driver, leading to confusion from customers.

To address these issues, administration recommended to replace the van rate with a Large Vehicle Fare of $9.50, calculated as two times the minimum starting fare. This would recover the additional cost of buying a van over a 10-year period, according to administration.

The new fare structure would cost customers more for distances less than six kilometres, but less than the current van fee for distances beyond that.

One aspect not considered in proposed changes is the increase to operational costs, just capital costs of buying a vehicle.

“We all know that operating costs are higher for a larger vehicle, and that in some way we should be reflecting that in the rates that are charged for large vehicles, especially when either people have way too much stuff or they specifically requested (a larger vehicle),” Ward 10 Coun. Zach Jeffries said. “That seems really reasonable to me.”

The other seven changes include adjusting fees for cleaning a cab, implementing additional equipment like security cameras and debit or credit card machines, and displaying taxi fare decals on the vehicle.

Council ultimately voted to have administration report back on potential changes to accommodate large vehicle operations costs and options to enhance safety for drivers.

A report from administration is expected back before councillors no later than September.