By Bryan Eneas

Acting chief, mayor, business owner weigh in on taxi safety

May 29, 2018 | 5:00 PM

Discussions around taxi safety are still ongoing in Prince Albert.

Following a May 20 incident, which saw taxi drivers rush to the aid of their co-worker who was being assaulted, the discussions around safety have heated up.

Acting Prince Albert Police Chief Jeff Rowden said he understands the idea of installing plastic shields or cameras in cabs will take some massaging.

“This isn’t something that’s new; there’s different initiatives all across Canada,” Rowden said. “We can learn from best practises, and maybe adopt some of those.”

Mayor Greg Dionne said he’s met with company owners, and he’s baffled as to why they haven’t taken the steps to protect their drivers themselves.

Trades in Sask.

Skilled trades need not limited to building homes

6h ago

Weather issues

Old man winter returns for one more round

6h ago

Unlocking success in real estate with Glenn Zdrill

10h ago

Dionne said he understands cab drivers are pushing for a bylaw in order to ensure every driver in the city has the same set of regulations to follow, however there is nothing currently preventing them from immediately taking steps to protect their drivers.

“Why do they need the city of P.A. to put cameras in?” Dionne asked. “There’s no such thing as a bylaw, to me, that’s just a cop-out [to] put the decision on someone else.”

Pardeep Kumar, owner of Checker Family Taxi in Prince Albert, said he has yet to install any additional security measures in order to prevent further costs down the road.

He said for example, if he were to install cameras in his cabs now, and they don’t happen to be compatible with any system used by law enforcement, the company would be forced to change the cameras in their cabs.

Kumar also said a bylaw would override each individual cab drivers opinion on the matter; he said right now there are drivers who feel cameras are a good option, and others who would prefer a shield between them and their fares.

“I’m concerned because I own the dispatch office and I own four taxis; 17 of the others are independent operators,” Kumar said. “Everybody has a different opinion. Somebody will say ‘OK, I drive just in the day, I don’t drive in the night, so I don’t need it.’”

Kumar also noted cities like Regina and Saskatoon, as well as major cities in other provinces have already introduced a bylaws similar to what is being discussed in Prince Albert.

“It’s not that one taxi cab [has cameras] and another doesn’t have it, it’s a bylaw and it’s required for all of them,” he said. “Taxis are regulated, as it is regulated in other towns, that comes from city hall.”

Coun. Blake Edwards first proposed to address the issue last year by changing a bylaw, following a violent assault on a cab driver. According to a report published in the middle of January about outstanding reports, the proposed changes to the bylaw were expected to come forward this summer.

City Manager Jim Toye previously told paNOW the matter was complicated, and the city was reaching out to other municipalities to consult on the matter.

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas