Prepayment, vomit fees: here’s what Toronto’s new taxi regime will mean for you
In the world of Toronto transit, the TTC gets all the credit for being excessively difficult to improve in any way—but you know what other transportation service is an intractable nightmare world of obscure regulations and competing interests? The taxi industry.
For the better part of three years, city bureaucrats have been tackling the unenviable task of reforming the way Toronto’s taxis do business. Now, at long last, after more than 40 consultations, the city has released its final report on proposed changes to the way the industry is licensed and regulated. Many of these changes are aimed at reforming aspects of the system that are important mainly to drivers and other insiders. For example, several of the report’s recommendations have to do with eliminating Toronto’s two-tiered taxi-licensing system, so that there’s no longer a class of drivers who can’t rent or sell their cabs. That’s likely to be one of the more popular changes, at least among drivers who hold the crappier type of license.
There are some changes, though, that would have direct consequences for riders, should all the report’s recommendations be approved by city council. Some of them seem great, while others seem annoying and/or potentially expensive. Here’s a rundown of a few of the big-deal items.
1. Money up front
Under the proposed changes, cab drivers would be able to request up to $25 in advance from any rider. This is supposed to help prevent fare jumping. It’s not hard to envision problems with a cash-up-front taxi system, but the report proposes a review of the policy in 2016, to gauge its impact on passengers.
2. You puke, you pay
Any King West partier who regurgitates a night’s worth of bottle service onto the seat of a taxi may soon have yet another exorbitant nightlife expense added to his or her tab. The report calls for the creation of a standard, $25 vomit fee. It would also apply to other types of spillage and bodily ejecta. (Some taxi drivers already try to charge riders for this type of thing, but city bylaws don’t allow them to.)
3. Your credit card: never declined
Paying for a taxi ride with a card can be hit-or-miss, but the report recommends that the city require all cabs to equip themselves with terminals.
4. Wheelchair? No problem
One of the biggest objectives of the taxi review was to find a way of transforming Toronto’s fleet into a fully accessible one. The report recommends a phased implementation of wheelchair-accessible cabs. All new licensees would be required to accommodate disabled riders. This proposed change has been a source of controversy among industry insiders, because upgrading vehicles is expected to be a huge capital expense.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/toronto-new-taxi-regime-vomit-fee/&title=Prepayment, vomit fees: here’s what Toronto’s new taxi regime will mean for you&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/toronto-taxi-changes-624x395.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_255267" align="alignnone" width="656"] (Image: Maria Nepomnyashchikh)[/caption]
In the world of Toronto transit, the TTC gets all the credit for being excessively difficult to improve in any way—but you know what other transportation service is an intractable nightmare world of obscure regulations and competing interests? The taxi industry.
For the better part of three years, city bureaucrats have been tackling the unenviable task of reforming the way Toronto's taxis do business. Now, at long last, after more than 40 consultations, the city has released its final report on proposed changes to the way the industry is licensed and regulated. Many of these changes are aimed at reforming aspects of the system that are important mainly to drivers and other insiders. For example, several of the report's recommendations have to do with eliminating Toronto's two-tiered taxi-licensing system, so that there's no longer a class of drivers who can't rent or sell their cabs. That's likely to be one of the more popular changes, at least among drivers who hold the crappier type of license.
There are some changes, though, that would have direct consequences for riders, should all the report's recommendations be approved by city council. Some of them seem great, while others seem annoying and/or potentially expensive. Here's a rundown of a few of the big-deal items.
1. Money up front
Under the proposed changes, cab drivers would be able to request up to $25 in advance from any rider. This is supposed to help prevent fare jumping. It's not hard to envision problems with a cash-up-front taxi system, but the report proposes a review of the policy in 2016, to gauge its impact on passengers.
2. You puke, you pay
Any King West partier who regurgitates a night's worth of bottle service onto the seat of a taxi may soon have yet another exorbitant nightlife expense added to his or her tab. The report calls for the creation of a standard, $25 vomit fee. It would also apply to other types of spillage and bodily ejecta. (Some taxi drivers already try to charge riders for this type of thing, but city bylaws don't allow them to.)
3. Your credit card: never declined
Paying for a taxi ride with a card can be hit-or-miss, but the report recommends that the city require all cabs to equip themselves with terminals.
4. Wheelchair? No problem
One of the biggest objectives of the taxi review was to find a way of transforming Toronto's fleet into a fully accessible one. The report recommends a phased implementation of wheelchair-accessible cabs. All new licensees would be required to accommodate disabled riders. This proposed change has been a source of controversy among industry insiders, because upgrading vehicles is expected to be a huge capital expense.){kind=link}
Taxi driver who takes you to the West end when you give him an East end address saying he didn’t hear you right, Taxi who wont obey your request to turn off his radio or turn the window up or down, or who talk loud on his phone while you are in the Taxi, or smelly drivers can be fined by the Taxi commission 416-895-4568 just make sure to get the Taxi number on the door. Too many Toronto Taxi’s are guilty of being rude, the public must be aware that there are rules and fines, I am sure there are Taxi drivers who do not have a proper Taxi licence operating Taxi’s in Toronto because they do not seem to know the rules and give sass to their paying customers.
Then how about a by-law for minimal levels of hygiene? No smoking, body odour, cab cleanliness. Oh, and how about testing the ability to drive properly? And actually knowing streets in the city, like how it used to be. Being in a taxi was an event back in the day. Now, it’s more of a courier for people, in the back of some dangerous stinky truck.
Call Taxi commission 416-895-4568 with the Taxi number, and the drives will have to pay a fine the rules are there the public just do not know it.
I don’t agree with the hygiene thing because there are people with a really sensitive sense of smell and to some people what they’re not used to smells bad. And if you don’t like the smell of cab drivers then don’t take a cab then. Take the TTC or get your own car and enjoy high insurance and gas costs. Also if you are driving all day, you are going to perspire but yes they shouldn’t smoke in the car
Ednan, I completely disagree with your thoughts on hygiene. It doesn’t matter where we work, we are expected to be clean, & not smell bad. If you perspire, use deodorant, bring a change of clothes. People that get into a cab are paying for a service, they should be getting into a clean car that smells good. Do you still charge for cleaning their vomit, if it was the smell of the cab or driver that caused the customer to vomit? Everyone should be aware of personal hygeine, including the customers taking the taxi.
When I drove for Diamond Taxi I wore a shirt and tie clean and fresh, the tie made me tips I knew where I was going and waited till the fair made it in their house, I respected the Taxi laws I learned at 20 Holly Street where I got my Taxi licence, I made my customers feel that I was there to serve them as it should be, deodorant will last all day use it it’s call hygiene, no one wants to smell you.
I do hope the Taxi commission reads this post and can see how these drivers think and do something about it, it’s high time to start giving out fines to drivers who do not comply with the Toronto Taxi rules.
What about drivers who refuse passengers with dog or a bottle of wine just because it is against their religion ? Their licence must be revoked.
That is not allowed, if you have a Taxi you are there to serve the public not the other way around, what we need is a list of Toronto Taxi commission rules which I am going to find on Monday morning and post to you all.
Wow. Totally agreed. The driver is in absolutely no position to make judgement calls like that based on a personal agenda.
Henry Rychlicki rocks.
How about they stop ripping us off with their overpriced fares, or driving around the block, or taking an extra long route and mayyybbe people wouldn’t skip out on them.
Taxi drivers are instructed to take the most direct rout unless asked another rout by the customer who they must obey by Taxi Law, if not, tell the Taxi commission 416-392-3082 the first fine may be more than $25, if the driver does it a second time the fine will be $50 or more and suspension of licence people need to know their rights.Make a Note of the Number on the Taxi Car Door every time!’ and I urge the public to call the Taxi commission and know their rights Toronto issues Taxi licences according to the population for the population to serve the public.
I’m currently a Toronto cab driver dating back from 1992. I’m from a generation of old schoolers that started in this industry without cell phones & GPS. There are drivers in my company & others who are completely useless & clueless to their whereabouts without being dependant to this device. Some can’t spell & depend on their computer to assist in inputing the address. To be a garbage truck driver they need a minimum grade 12 or equivalent. Shouldn’t this apply for taxi drivers too? Drive in my cab or one who doesn’t have one adhered to their windshield. The experience is night & day. It’s a shame that drivers must rely on this unit. You can have it set to the shortest or fastest route & I can say with confidence that 97% of these drivers have it programmed to the fastest route. Guess what..That’s a gouge to customers who already pay enough for our services as it is. As a driver, I feel that even our refresher course is ineffective. As a driver, I use taxis when need be & I’m ashamed of a good proportion of the drivers we have in Toronto. I could go on but, this is just a small dose of the wrath we have in the taxi industry. Reforms are good & in all fairness, the approach & approval to some of these recommendations are mediocre & ultimately, it still will be a failure. I could be wrong but, watch & see. I could elaborate on driver declared income, taxi plate lease, taxi plate renewal/driver renewal fees, agents, brokerages, dispatching, drivers on welfare, the list goes on. All in all, this industry is damaged & why are there councillors who are on this committee who have no experience or idea trying to rectify it? Does anyone feel me here?
I think you mean the longest route as opposed to the fastest route.
My experience showed me that when people were asked what route they would prefer, most said the fastest which in some cases is the longest and most expensive.
Now having said that, in Toronto these days there is no fastest route what with traffic congestion due to the increased volume of vehicles as well as constant lane closures somewhere in the city.
The quarters add up quickly and it is one of the reasons why many cab riders of the past have given up on taxis as a preferred mode of transportation.
I totally agree w the fee if you barf I can’t believe this isn’t allowed yet! $25 seems too cheap when their entire night of fares is likely down the tubes.
I agree with some of it except for the vomit part that’s just stupid and ignorant, it’s the drinking or crappy food, but these guys work 12 hour shifts and they can’t shower if they drive up a sweat, they are on call Im just saying if the cabbie looks sweaty it might be because he is at or near the end of the shift. if it’s winter time it would be odd but if it’s 30 degrees outside I think ppl should be more understanding. Deodorant, yes but a change of clothes? Idk… in their industry a change of clothes or shower can cost you a big fare, they’re not doing it for fun they are doing it for money they don’t have any alternatives more often than not. These guys don’t make much and deal with a lot of grief, sometimes brought upon them by their own actions and we should tolerate a bit of BO just roll down the window if it’s bad or leave the cab and try another one
You have your priorities out of whack, I am a cab driver, and again you need to learn Hygiene, a fresh shower and clean cloths Every Day is what you are required to do if you are a Taxi driver here to serve the people who pay your fare, if YOU cannot comply you are in the wrong business, You would not eat a sandwich served to you that fell on the floor would you?’ well riding in a smelly cab is like that, and you do not regulate the fares you depend on the public to earn and therefore it is YOU who must respect the public’s wishes that goes for all Taxi Drivers, education is key!’ learn Canadian ways for this is where you reside and Canadians are clean and expect the same.
So what you are saying is the Taxi commission is could be crooked these days and are maybe paid off by cab owners?’ because that is what I am reading here, well I urge the public to get right on top of this right away, who in government can we call?’ because when I drove for Diamond since 1979 any complaint would see the cab driver fined, lets get busy Toronto lets dig deep and fix this right away. P’S. being a cab driver is not easy driving 12 hours a day some days you don’t make money after yo pay for you cab, but that’s the nature of the beast!’ I no longer drive, but when I need a cab I want the respect that is law by the Taxi Trade.
Friend I was born n raised here smh r u from Barrie?
Im from Scarborough so maybe my cab standards are different from downtown or The airport. If I call a cab n the guy Is wearing a tie, he would look too professional
Please don’t treat me like I emigrated here I know what im talking about. I have taken Able Atlantic everyday to work for 2 years straight, I know today’s cab industry phew im done
There is nothing wrong with disagreements but don’t ever accuse someone of not being from Canada because they have a different view on an issue, Motherfucker
lol Yeah Right, Take a Shower… Clean up your act.
You need to come back down to reality
I find it funny that a polish guy would tell me to take a shower. What’s a polish shower? Don’t bath and cover you BO with cologne n deodorant right???
I think you mean the longest route as opposed to the fastest route.
My experience showed me that when people were asked what route they would prefer, most said the fastest which in some cases is the longest and most expensive.
Now having said that, in Toronto these days there is no fastest route what with traffic congestion due to the increased volume of vehicles as well as constant lane closures somewhere in the city.
The quarters add up quickly and it is one of the reasons why many cab riders of the past have given up on taxis as a preferred mode of transportation.
GPS devices have the option of selecting the shortest or fastest route. The faster route can be longer & cost you more $$$. Let’s say I pick up a passenger from the Fairview Mall (Don Mills & Sheppard) & the customer requests me to go to Bridlewood Mall (Warden & Finch). The GPS will instruct highway use if the fastest route is selected. GPS may instruct the driver to go along Sheppard to Victoria Park & along Huntingwood or VP to finch or even Sheppard to Warden Ave if shortest route is selected but, my intuition would tell me to go behind Fairview Mall, go along Godstone to Kingslake, Kingslake to Van Horne, Van Horne to VP, straight through to Corinthian, Corinthian to Pinemeadow, Pinemeadow to Bridletowne Circle, Bridlewood Circle to destination Bridlewood Mall. GPS WOULD NOT suggest or calculate that route yet, I save the passenger money & I avoid the main roads. Experience is a key component to driving a taxi & I try my outright best in taking the most efficient routes. Listening to 680 news can give me a head’s up into my trip planning too. There are many variables in route planning & that’s just an example of many of my journeys & trips. GPS definitely makes many of Toronto cab drivers screen readers when they should be land marking intersections as I’ve done & still continue to do so. I’ve been a firm user of Perly’s map books in the past & still use it although they don’t have any versions past 2010. I scribbled in some streets from time to time & continue to do so when need be.
You need to agree with Hygiene if you want to remain a Taxi driver or you will be fined and your licence suspended,
Im not a cab driver, I just help them feed their families by giving them business
Pussy
An hour ago, a Beck driver did this to my high risk pregnant neice. When she refused to pay ‘cash only’ for this prepayment fee , he proceeded to decline her service. He made sure she understood that he didn’t care if she was pregnant and as soon as things became heated he told her to get her “sl*t b**ch a** the hell out of his vehicle”. Naturally we called to file a complaint and to ensure he is never assigned to us again. Now I have no faith in the service. One mistake too many of seven years of using them and this was worse than the last driver who dissed his wife and her bedroom skills. Just ick!