Nabil Nabate thinks the city's bylaw officers are too hasty in threatening to ticket taxis. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

parking pressure

Too hasty to fine: taxi driver complains about parking pressure

Jun 3, 2019 | 2:39 PM

A local taxi driver has said the city is inflexible and too eager to hand out tickets.

Nabil Nabate said he was threatened with a fine if he didn’t plug the meter outside the bank on Central Avenue last week, even though he claims his customer was just going in for a few minutes to get cash from the ATM.

He said the city’s bylaw officers should understand taxi drivers provide an important transport service, and often for those who are disabled or have mobility issues.

“As an example, if a customer who is handicapped wants to go to the bank you need to drop them right at the door, or a customer will ask you to wait a few minutes,” he said. “The city makes it hard for us.”

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He figured the city just needs to take a minute or two to weigh the situation.

“They don’t talk to you or anything, they just use their power. They say to you ‘we don’t care, you have to pay’ that’s it.”

In response to Nabate’s complaint, the city said it has treated, and will continue to treat all motorists without discrimination – taxis or otherwise.

“We will ask that someone plug the meter before giving them a ticket, that’s for anybody” transit manager Keri Sapsford told paNOW.”It’s a $20 ticket if paid in the first ten days; $35 if not.”

She said bylaw officers were walking by [as part of their job] and didn’t have time to wait two minutes to see if a meter would be plugged or if the driver would leave the stall.

“Once you’re in the parking stall you should have time on your meter,” she said.

Sapsford added taxi companies could apply for a designated taxi stall, at a fee, in the downtown (although not on Central Ave.), but so far they had not had any requests for one.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow