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Town takes stepsInsideOpinion............................................6Health............................................20to add more taxisSports.............................................24Classified.......................................29By David Leathere is actually more business than the current OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFFnumber of cabs in Oakville can handle.Why work and live here if we are not mak- Full Delivery: Some believe theyre necessary, some dont, Tiger Direct, The Bay, FMing any money? asked Mehboob Alam Khan, Windows,but whatever the belief, more Oakville taxis will taxi driver. They just dont want to see more Partial Delivery:soon be hitting local streets.people in the industry. Right now there is a Katz Group, Metro Canada,Town council voted Monday to approve a small group monopolizing the industry and Freshco, 2-4-1 Pizza,number of changes to Oakvilles taxicab bylaw, they are running it like a dictatorship. M&M Meats, 2001 Audio,including one which will see the taxi plate Taxi driver Gurinderpal Singh said he has DOT Patio, Smart Source,(licence) issuance ratio gradually change over actually lost customers because there are not Sobeys, Rabba Fine Foods,the next five years from its current level of one enough taxicabs available to service them.Black's Photo, The Source,cab for every 2,000 residents to one cab for Taxi driver Moazzam Khalid said taxi drivers Crate and Barrel,every 1,540 residents.from Burlington and Mississauga come to Direct Energy, Wal-Mart, Town staff argued reducing the ratio will Oakville to take the customers Oakville taxis do Zellers, Future Shop,enhance customer service levels and bring the not have the manpower to service. He appPharma Save, Linen Chest, ar-Toys R Us, town closer to the ratio employed by other ently supplied photos to council backing up Canadian Tire, municipalities.this claim.Shoppers Drug Mart,They also said Oakville will need additional All of these drivers said they could still make Staples, No Frills,taxicabs as its population continues to grow.a living if the ratio was changed, particularly as Superstore, However, opponents argued there is not the ratio would be changing gradually over five Fortino's,enough business to support increasing the years. One driver, however, said he currently has Bad Boy Furniture,number of taxis allowed to operate in Oakville.to work seven days a week, 9 hours a day to Centennial WindowsThe issue was initially supposed to be dealt make a living.with by council in mid-May, but was deferred to Former mayor Bill Perras Jr., representing For home delivery & customer servicegive some members of the taxi industry time to Oakville United Taxi, warned the ratio change call (905) 845-9742 Mon., Tues. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.Wed., Thu., and Fri. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. supply the Town with financial information would hurt the industry and called on council to (open for calls only after 5 p.m.) / Q P F C [ 5 C V W T F C [ C O R O 5 W P F C [ R O R Ointended to prove the industry is currently suf-direct staff to create a more detailed and Closed Sat. and Sun.NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS call (905) 845-9742 or fering financial hardships and cannot endure researched report on the desired ratio.subscribe online @ www.oakvillebeaver.comthe proposed ratio change.As the time for the vote neared, Ward 5 Town In a report to council, the Towns Assistant and Regional Councillor Jeff Knoll called on Clerk Phil Bouillon said it was difficult to draw council to think about what it was proposing.any conclusions from the financial information This is a solution looking for a problem. BEST HEARING AT BEST PRICESsubmitted.There is no empirical data, there is no evidence The meeting was also deferred to give Town that shows there is a need to increase the num-staff time to examine a report by BMA-ber of plates in this town, said Knoll.Management Consulting Inc., which was hired All the municipalities weve heard about by Oakville United Taxi.today, when they have undertaken this process This report concluded the ratio should not they went through a very arduous process of be decreased as the amount of business Oakville analysis, data collection, consultation before taxicabs have been getting has declined by 29 they came up with their information. We have per cent over the last five years.relied, with great respect to Mr. Bouillon, a tele-During a delegation before council, BMA phone call to a number of jurisdictions. That president Jim Bruzzese said the Town has pro-phone call does not compare to information vided no evidence as to why the ratio needs to about demand characteristics, tourism, night-be reduced.life, etc. Those are very important factors.There is no current problem with wait In the end, however, it was decided the times or service so what is this about, he demand was present to warrant the ratio asked.change.60 DAY GUARANTEE WARRANTYCouncillors later grilled Bruzzese on the Feedback from delegations was widespread reliability of his report. Ward 4 Town and and provided great insight into the trade. We Regional Councillor Allan Elgar pointed out heard from those who both supported and that while compiling reports for London and opposed increasing the number of taxicabs on Oshawa, BMA suggested a taxi plate ratio Oakvilles roads and appreciated their candor, HEARING similar to what is recommended for Oakville. said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. Evidence of Bruzzese said London and Oshawa had dif-outside companies scooping fares persuaded me $ferent factors that needed to be considered.that there is more business for Oakville compa-AID SPECIAL295Ward 6 Town Councillor Max Khan asked if nies to serve if they had the fleet to do so." Bruzzese had any empirical evidence a lower In a close vote, council also directed staff to ratio would have a dire effect on the industry.investigate and develop a plan for a non-trans-In response, Bruzzese said common sense ferable plate issuance program made specifically dictated adding more taxis to a struggling busi-for Oakvilles unique taxicab industry.ness would cause problems.Non-transferable plates allow individuals an Council heard from 10 delegations on the opportunity to make a living driving a taxicab, Hopedale Hearing Clinicsubject of the taxicab bylaw change, Monday but plates must be returned to the municipality In Hopedale Mall, next to the CIBCnight.when the individual ceases to operate the taxi-A number of drivers from Halton Taxi argued cab.1515 Rebecca Street, Unit 38, Oakville 905-827-73333 Thursday, July 7, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER www.insideHALTON.com