2.
TAXI ADVISORY COMMITTEE - 2005 ANNUAL REPORT AND 2006 WORKPLAN COMITÉ CONSULTATIF SUR LES TAXIS - RAPPORT ANNUEL DE
2005 ET PLAN DE TRAVAIL 2006 |
That Council:
1. Receive
the 2005 Annual Report of the Taxi Advisory Committee as detailed in Document
1; and
2.
Approve the objectives
contained in the 2006 workplan, as detailed in Document 2.
RecommandationS du comité
Que le Conseil :
1. reçoive
le Rapport annuel de 2005 du Comité consultatif sur les taxis, tel que décrit à
la pièce jointe no 1;
2. approuve les objectifs qui sont
présentés dans le plan de travail 2006, tel que décrit à la pièce jointe no 2.
1. Taxi
Advisory Committee report dated 24 March 2006 (ACS2006-CCV-TAC-0001).
2. Extract
of Draft Minute, 13 April 2006.
Report
to/Rapport au:
Emergency
and Protective Services Committee/
Comité des services de protection et d’urgence
and Council/et au Conseil
24 March 2006 / le 24 mars 2006
Submitted by/Soumis par: Chair/président
Taxi Advisory Committee/Comité consultatif sur les
taxis
Contact/Personne-ressource: K. Sammon,
Advisory Committee Coordinator/coordonnatrice du comité
consultatif
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Ref N°: ACS2006-CCV-TAC-0001 |
SUBJECT: TAXI
ADVISORY COMMITTEE - 2005 ANNUAL REPORT AND 2006 WORKPLAN
OBJET: COMITÉ
CONSULTATIF SUR LES TAXIS - RAPPORT ANNUEL DE 2005 ET PLAN DE TRAVAIL 2006
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Taxi Advisory Committee recommend that the Emergency and Protective Services Committee recommend Council:
1. Receive the 2005
Annual Report of the Taxi Advisory Committee as detailed in Document 1; and
2.
Approve the objectives
contained in the 2006 workplan, as detailed in Document 2.
Que le Comité des services de protection et d’urgence recommande que le Comité des services de
protection et d’urgence recommande que le Conseil :
1. reçoive le Rapport
annuel de 2005 du Comité consultatif sur les taxis, tel que décrit à la pièce
jointe no 1;
2. approuve les objectifs qui sont
présentés dans le plan de travail 2006, tel que décrit à la pièce jointe no 2.
City Council, 3 December 2003, reconfirmed its governance structure. This included the advisory committees, and the requirement for each to complete a workplan outlining proposed projects and activities for the upcoming year. The workplan is to identify each and every activity the Committee plans to undertake in the upcoming year, whether they have a budgetary impact or not. The item should be identified, a brief description of the project or activity should be noted, and the anticipated timing of the item should be provided.
The Lead Department Representatives are to provide the Committee with information on the departmental workplan and priorities, where the workplans of the Committees tie into that workplan, and where the Committee can assist the Department. The Lead Department Representative will also advise on what staff and/or financial resources are available as part of departmental priorities.
DISCUSSION
The Taxi Advisory Committee
undertook a review of its 2005 annual report and 2006 workplan at its 18
October 2005 meeting and approved the final document at its 21 February 2006
meeting. The final 2005 annual report
and 2006 workplan of the Taxi Advisory Committee is at Document 1 and Document
2 respectively of this report.
The mandate of the Taxi
Advisory Committee is to act as
a conduit between and among City Council and affected citizens and groups and
the Taxi
taxi Industryindustry. The Taxi Advisory Committee will work with
all stakeholders to encourage the self-management of the industry, so as to
improve its overall quality. In doing
so, it will represent both the interests of the taxi industry and those with whom
it serves in order to best promote and maintain a safe, accessible and friendly
environment for all riders, including seniors and those with disabilities. The Taxi Advisory Committee will work to
encourage better communication between the industry and its customers, better
training for drivers, the promotion and use of environmentally friendly cabs
that are either fuel-efficient, solar/water powered or electric, as well as the
recognition of those drivers with superior driving records and customer service. The complete Terms of Reference can be found
at Document 3 of this report.
COMMUNITY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES
DEPARTMENT (Lead Department)
The By-law Services Branch has
reviewed the workplan and is in support of the objectives identified for
2006. By-law Services looks forward to
working with the Taxi Advisory Committee to continue to enhance taxi service
standards for the City of Ottawa.
There are no financial implications.
Document 1 – 2005 Annual Report of the Taxi Advisory Committee
Document 2 – Proposed 2006 Workplan of the Taxi Advisory Committee
Document
3 – Taxi Advisory Committee Terms of
Reference - (Held
on file with the City Clerk).
City Clerks Branch staff will forward the recommendations approved by the Emergency and Protective Services Committee to City Council for ratification.
Document 1
2005 Annual Report
Taxi Advisory Committee
Introduction
The Taxi Advisory Committee (TAC) held eight meetings in 2005, as prescribed under the December 3, 2003 decision of City Council. As in 2004, TAC continued with 13 voting members representing citizens, taxi drivers, taxi owners, a broker and organizational representatives. Council was represented by Diane Deans and Eli El-Chantiry, non-voting members, whose advice, comments, and wisdom have been greatly appreciated. Through these Council representatives, TAC has received support for its work in Standing Committees and Council meetings. Mr. Michael McDermott continued as Chair with Mr. David Dunlop as Vice-Chair.
Accessible service continued to be an issue, with concerns related to the availability of accessible vehicles and their sometimes reluctance to answer disabled calls.
The Economic Sub-Committee prepared their report on
the Hara-KPMG Report, specifically on the taxi meter fare index, the Taxi cost
Index and the Taxi Plate Numbers.
The issue of unlicensed taxis and By-law Services
actions was reported at several meetings. The promise from the Province to make
infractions more accountable was dashed when the Province’s legislation failed
to give By-Law officers the necessary powers to keep these vehicles off the
road.
The Harmonized Consolidated taxi licencing by-law
dominated the first half of 2005’s discussions. Items for inclusion and amendment were discussed, voted on and
passed to By-Law Services for drafting into the revised By-Laws that came into
effect in 2006. One such item that was
hotly discussed was the change from 3 zones to 1 zone - plus the Ottawa
Airport, which remains a separate zone - that came into effect January 1, 2006.
At the end of 2005, 8 TAC voting positions with
varying term lengths came due: 3 Taxi
Drivers; 3 Plate Holders; 1 Citizen Member; and 1 Broker. Rather than use the
former cumbersome election system, the positions were filled through a show of
interest. Two Councilors, Jan Harder
and Rick Chiarelli and the TAC Chair and Vice-Chair determined the final slate.
This system of filling TAC voting positions should result in a more controlled
working group.
The Taxi Advisory Committee discussed and received presentations and updates from City staff pertaining to the following:
· Harmonized Taxi By-Law - Driver/Vehicle standards; age of vehicle standards; Ambassador vs Accessible taxi cabs; the single zone issue; GPS
· Light Rail Transit Project
· Taxi industry fees
· Emission tests / safety inspections presentation
· Unlicensed taxicabs
· Rideau Street Taxi Study
· Population ratios; meter rates according to KPMG/Hara Report; hotel contract
· New City of Ottawa Act
· Accessible taxi service
· Adjustments/Implementation of Taxi Stands
taxi advisory committee
·
Accessible
vehicles incentives/sanctions
terms of licencing issue
dispatch
system
updated statistics
alternative models
· Driver recognition Ottawa Tourism’s Stars of the City
· Access to bus lanes / Rideau Street study
· Age of vehicles as it relates to the transfer of licenses
· Taxi vehicle recognition visibility, identification
· Consolidated City By-Laws how are they working (hold discussion to end of 2006)
problems, omissions and amendments
amendment to By-Laws in 2007 – enforcement assistance
non-paying
passengers
moving plates – wording a problem
charges for cleaning cars
· Ottawa Airport How the process is working, re: the service provided
· Education and training courses
Refresher
courses
· Inter-city relations Monitor what is happening, re: inspection of Ottawa cabs in Gatineau
· Security and safety drivers and passengers
Ongoing
monitoring of issues to include:
· Unlicensed / rogue cabs
· Shadow dispatching
· Cell phone usage
·
Implementation of the one zone
·
Existing and New
Taxi Stands
TAXI ADVISORY COMMITTEE – 2005 ANNUAL REPORT AND 2006 WORKPLAN
COMITÉ CONSULTATIF SUR LES TAXIS –
RAPPORT ANNUEL DE 2005 ET PLAN DE TRAVAIL 2006
ACS2006-CCV-TAC-0001
David Dunlop, Chair, Taxi Advisory
Committee touched on the
annual report, noting that the Harmonized Taxi By-law was the main issue
addressed in 2005. He also welcomed
questions on the proposed workplan.
Councillor Harder thanked Mr. Dunlop for
his leadership, objectivity, fairness and determination since the inception of
the advisory committee in 2002.
In response to
questions from Councillor Legendre, Mr. Dunlop indicated that the committee
would continue to address the issue of accessible taxis specifically as it
relates to service-delivery, dispatching and incentives.
Marion Williams, on behalf of Sarah
McCarthy’s family
suggested an amendment to the security and safety section of the workplan. Ms. Williams suggested that the issue of
vehicle surveillance, including in-vehicle cameras and GPS be elaborated, as
the advisory committee will be expected to review and make recommendations to
City staff prior to the process being completed. She stated that the introduction of such surveillance should be
viewed as a transparent and systemic change written into policy and presented
in a public forum such as committee meetings.
Chair Deans
thanked the delegation and Ms. McCarthy’s family for attending the meeting and
expressed support for an inquest to look into the dragging death.
Susan Jones,
Director, By-Law Services recalled that Council approved, after a lengthy
consultation process, a Harmonized Taxi By-law that came into effect on January
1, 2006. As part of this, Council agreed
to mandate cameras in taxis effective March 2008. She noted that By-law Services would be consulting with the Taxi
Advisory Committee on camera technology and implementation, as well as other
safety and security measures, including training. The Director indicated that GPS would be introduced to the
accessible vehicle fleet as a pilot project.
Mr. Dunlop indicated that the Taxi
Advisory Committee at its meeting of 18 April 2006 at 10 a.m. in the Colonel By
Room would focus on security issues, including presentations from Ottawa Police
Services and By-law Services. He
welcomed participation from interested individuals.
The Committee
then considered the report recommendation.
That the Taxi Advisory Committee recommends that the Emergency and Protective Services Committee recommend Council:
1. Receive
the 2005 Annual Report of the Taxi Advisory Committee as detailed in Document
1; and
2. Approve
the objectives contained in the 2006 workplan, as detailed in Document 2.
CARRIED