OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, April 10, 2009 · 4 Summer Camps If you have a news tip or story idea, call the Oakville Beaver at 905-845-3824. Councillors want study on impact of more taxis Continued from page 1 June 29 - Aug 14 9:00am-3:30pm For campers ages 3-12 Full and half day camps available Extended care available from 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM Age appropriate groups, small teacher/student ratios taught by University Educated Instructors Spaces are limited! Drama, Dance, Fine Arts, Crafts, Games, Musical Theatre and much, much more! NEW Half day Afternoon Rock Camp Ages 7-12 Please check on-line or call the studio for Summer dance classes Registration on Now Offering The Finest in Arts Exploration and Development! 1011 Upper Middle Road & Eighth Line, Oakville, Ontario L6H 4L5 FREE WASHER FLUID WITH EVERY XC60* CITY SAFETY ROAD TEST XC60 PRICE STARTS AT $45,495** Phone: (905) 825-8088 www.volvoofoakville.com *While Supplies last. **Freight and PDI, $1,650 extra. Taxes and other fees may apply. Call for details. Phone: 905.844.ARTS (2787) www.oakvilleacademy.com Carpet Cleaning Specialists Since 1952 Spot! WALL TO WALL FURNITURE & UPHOLSTERY AREA RUGS PERSIAN & ORIENTAL Truck Mount In-Plant Service Water Damage Restoration RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL Drop-off Discount! 25% OPEN HOUSE Wednesday, April 29th 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. We're Closer Than You FREE 250 ml SPOTTING BOTTLE www.onthespotcleaning.ca 1446 WALLACE RD., OAKVILLE, ON Bronte Currently, over 550 students residing in Burlington and Oakville take advantage of our daily busing service. THINK CO-ED MONTESSORI, JUNIOR, MIDDLE, SENIOR 905-825-4256 QEW W Speers Wallace www.hsc.on.ca | 905-389-1367 | 299 Fennell Ave. West, Hamilton reiterated there was no justification for the study and pointed to a citizen satisfaction survey conducted in 2007, which delivered a positive review of taxi service as it exists. "On timeliness, on driver conduct and on telephone customer service, overwhelmingly the citizens polled gave the taxi industry high marks," said Knoll. "Seventy-eight per cent either said good and excellent in terms of timeliness, 78 per cent said good and excellent in terms of driver conduct and 78 per cent said good and excellent in terms of telephone customer service. If I were a teacher grading this that's a B+." Johnston's retort was brief. "Instead of a B+ industry, why don't we try and get an A+ industry," he said. Ward 6 Councillor Max Khan said he would vote for the motion saying he could not in good conscience vote against a motion that would give councillors more information on an important issue. Oakville's taxi drivers have been divided on the issue of whether more taxi plates should be allowed in Oakville. Some have said an increased number of taxi cabs would increase competition, which in turn would lead to better service for riders. Other taxi drivers said it is the wrong time to bring in more taxi cabs given the current economic climate. Sukhwinder Singh Sandhu, the only driver delegation who addressed council, said business has dropped by as much as 40 per cent since the onset of the recession. Changing the taxi ratio and bringing more plates to Oakville will do no good as the drivers at Sandhu's taxi garage currently sit for hours waiting for calls, he noted. In the end, the majority of council opted to pass the motion and look into the possibility of adding more plates. The vote came just moments after council voted to approve a number of changes to the Oakville taxi industry, including allowing plate owners to operate independently and removing a requirement that drivers work a minimum number of hours each year to remain on the taxi plate waiting list.