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As Toronto becomes the biggest landmark for basketball in North America for 4 days, GTA taxi drivers were aiming to disrupt the higher than average number of non-locals and nightlife enthusiasts. The action from cabs would certainly gain some international reactions. The plans have now changed to after the All-Star weekend. So you still want to fight the people of Toronto on this?
Toronto and GTA taxi drivers have announced a massive protest, which was set to happen the weekend when thousands of fans and celebrities are visiting our city for the NBA All Star game. “We are going for a heavy duty strike much bigger than December 9th,” said Paul Sekhon, head of the newly formed United Taxi Workers Association of the GTA. Sekhon told CityNews that the strike would start on Friday. All major arteries of the city will be blocked including all highways and pretty much the only way to get in or out of the city.
Bad idea. Bad look on the city.
Looking at it from the taxis perspective as the debate rages on whether UberX is allowed to operate illegally. In late 2015, council voted to update the city’s existing taxi and limousine rules to apply to Uber – meaning that the company needs a brokerage license, which it does not have. At the same time, while the city appears to be moving in the direction of creating new regulations for Uber, that decision was delayed in last month. Ontario’s insurance regulator has approved coverage for drivers using ride-hailing services such as Uber, even as the province’s legislature has yet to decide if such services are legal.
‘So, the cabbies are angry.” We get it. We understand that this is the way taxi drivers make a living and resent the fact Uber was operating illegally. It does not merit such extreme actions. We survived Rob Ford, now its time for the cab industry to grow up and stop with the temper tantrums. They are acting like five year old who didn’t get there chocolate bar when asked.
There are many negative cases ranging form the uncleanliness of cabs, not wanting to pick up people because the rider(s) weren’t travelling far enough, assaults on women and the most recent taxi drivers steal debit cards from dozens of riders and empty their bank accounts. Not to mention that initial cab charges in Toronto are the most expensive in North America. What makes you so special?
Clearly, the industry has its own image and PR mess to clean up.
The future is now and our world is designed by change everyday. Products like Uber are popping up, as the trend in digital apps is to make life easier and more efficient. We live in a fast-paced city and those who commute in Toronto need accessibility to move from point A to point B with minimal traffic distractions. Companies like Uber offer exactly that (with Uber now offering split commutes). How come cabbies are capitalize on this instead of protesting? Or is it that the conservative and old infrastructure won’t allow change?
Did you know that New York Times named Toronto the 7th (out of 52) places to go in 2016?
Toronto is a metropolitan mega city and it deserves options. The world is looking in this direction to host worldly events – The growing art, music, The Toronto International Film Festival, Gay Pride, Pan Games and now The NBA All-Star games. We deserve this. What we also deserve is for everyone including disgruntled cab drivers to be ambassadors for the city 365 days of the year.
This is history, play your cards right. Adjust the attitude; offer reduced fares for the four days, clean your cars and you will compete with Uber. This is not the fault of NBA’s or those who we are hosting in the city to air dirty laundry. This should not be seen as a subjected opportunity to ostracize. We are the best city in Canada; we need to shine while showing our true colours. It will also go very far with those who live in the city who commute everyday and will continue to be judge and jury between Uber and the cab drivers.
Enough of this monopoly. There’s obvious reasons why people turn to UBER and not to taxis, most (not all) cab drivers we’ve come across are discourteous and annoying. How about cleaning your own household first before painting the kettle black? How about showing Torontonians who pay the extreme price to ride cabs some respect by cleaning up your cabs? Rather than blocking the roads and causing fear and frustration, why not collaborate with Uber? How about being a more reliable service for women who need to go a few blocks after a late night out, having the option without having to lie about where they are going? How about you just grow up?
The nonsense will rage on after the All-Star weekend at the hands of those who travel everyday to make a living. The only difference is that the people of Toronto don’t protest and have temper tantrums because they refuse to adapt top change.
