Australian taxi drivers rally against Uber and promise strikes

In a report heading to city council’s transportation committee on Monday, city administrators acknowledge that regulation of rideshare companies such as Uber is “in a state of unrest” across Canada and that it should be the province, not the city, laying down the law.

To accomplish this, the company has launched an online petition that encourages City Hall to make taxi fares more affordable (Toronto taxi fares are regulated and set by the municipal government). Whereas there is a solution about that too.

The report, however, provides recommendations that are specific to companies like Uber which are referred to as “Transportation Network Companies” (TNCs).

In 2014, the company introduced its UberX service in Toronto, which connects passengers with unlicensed private cars-for-hire.

The staff report is expected to recommend dropping the flat fee to $3.25, a decrease of $1 from $4.25.

The protesters gave Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews an ultimatum: shut down UberX or regulate it so they were on a level playing field where Uber drivers had to pay the same fees as taxi drivers. Toronto has no authority to sanction UberX drivers to operate without insurance, and in fact opens itself up to potential lawsuits by attempting to do so.

It could be cheaper to take a taxi in Toronto soon making the industry more competitive with Uber.

“We established this for the very reason that they are raising their concerns”, said Mr Constance.

Judging by Twitter, the citizens of Melbourne didn’t appear to have much sympathy for the taxi cause.

Uber will continue for the next several months with absolutely no regulation while the City allows it to gain further market share and is taking a “we trust you” approach to Uber saying it will someday develop an insurance product to cover its drivers and passengers in the case of an accident.

Cab drivers across Australia are planning similar action, in an echo of the London black cabs strike which brought the city to a standstill past year. As a result, Toronto city council voted in July to move forward with regulating Uber.

“The city’s taxi bylaw is in place to protect the public”, Ken Leendertse, director of licensing said in a news release.

The service has become increasingly popular since last year’s Football World Cup, with many of its cars cleaner and newer than those of regular cabs.

“The time has come for political leaders to provide certainty to over 15,000 Australians who earn an income on the Uber platform, and more than one million riders who choose Uber to get around their cities, and implement sensible, safety-based ride-sharing regulation as quickly as possible”.