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2- The Oakville Beaver, Friday October 5, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Some cabbies cry foul over plan to add more taxis in town By Kim Arnott SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Fabulous HUGO BOSS ETRO VERSACE BALDESSARINI BURBERRY ROBERT COMSTOCK Cool, sophisticated style - yours now at Burrows. Fall. 2007 AND MANY MORE... 200 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville · 905.842.0232 · www.burrowsclothiers.com A proposal to add 44 additional taxicab plates to Oakville's fleet has deeply divided the town's taxi community. The plan, which would bring the total number of cab plates to 100 by 2010, has many drivers predicting the collapse of the industry in Oakville. However, other drivers are supporting the proposal, which town staff say would provide a reasonable number of cabs and cut down on wait times for passengers. The proposal, which will be considered by the Town's Administrative Services committee on Oct. 23, suggests plates should be issued at a ratio of one for every 1,500 Oakville residents. The Town currently has one taxicab plate for every 2,500 citizens. Gord Lalonde, Oakville's commissioner of corporate services, says the proposal would create a simple and easy-to-administer formula that would ensure there are enough taxis on the road to service the town's needs. He added that a number of nearby communities, including Mississauga, Brampton and Niagara Falls, have a ratio of about 1,500 cabs per population. "There have been a number of complaints we have received, from a number of sources, suggesting there just aren't enough taxis in service," said Lalonde. However, taxi drivers have attacked that assertion, noting the Town has no hard evidence and has collected no data to support the need to issue more plates. At a meeting of the town's Taxicab Review committee on Tuesday night, more than 50 cab drivers filled the council chambers. Some offered their support of the proposal, suggesting there is a need for more cabs. "In rush hour, we are losing the business because we can't provide enough service," said one driver, who believes demand would grow if cabs were available in a more timely fashion. However, many other drivers said they are already struggling to make ends meet on the number of rides available, and that issuing such a large number of new plates would make it even tougher. Several drivers spoke of taking home $50 to $100 for a 12-hour shift, after paying their expenses. "I'm feeding my family from this industry," said one man. "This is my livelihood." Some drivers argued that comparing Oakville to Mississauga or Niagara Falls is unreasonable because the town doesn't have the number of tourists or the amount of nightlife offered in those communities. Bill Perras, a lawyer representing Oakville United Taxi, suggested Burlington, with one cab for every 3,000 residents, would provide a more reasonable comparison to Oakville. He said Oakville United agrees that about 10 new plates are probably needed, but "vehemently opposes" the release of 44 new plates. "The demand does not support that kind of two-thirds increase over the current numbers," he said. Perras said the industry hasn't previously been told about wait time concerns, and he is disturbed by the lack of hard evidence or statistics being offered by Town staff to support the proposed increase in plates. "If there is a problem in the taxi industry as it exists now, let the taxi industry know about it," he said, suggesting that the Taxicab Review committee should be given the opportunity to seek solutions to the problem. "Blue Note II" By Anna Razumovskaya Giclée Limited Edition 50 Image Size: 40"x 60" DO YOU RECOGNIZE THIS WOMAN? NEITHER DO HER GRANDCHILDREN. 162 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville 905.849.6338 www.bronzefroggallery.com A Green Thumb Landscaping company 35 years, one mission, great gardens. ELDER NEGLECT Y O U M AY N O T E V E N K N O W Y O U ' R E D O I N G I T.