Brokers may have taxicabs to thank for keeping the Uber fight in the public eye after drivers made a none too veiled threat to the host city of the Pan Am games.
“The taxi industry is on its last legs and if UberX is continued the taxi industry will be destroyed,” Sam Moini, a taxi fleet operator, told the Toronto Star.
“We don’t want what happened in France to happen here, that’s absolutely the last thing that we want, but when people feel like they have nothing left to lose, they become dangerous, and we don’t want that to happen here in Toronto.”
In Paris last week, thousands of taxi drivers blocked roads to train stations and airports by burning tires and turning over cars on major streets as part of a nationwide protest against Uber. Reuters reported after protesters took these measures, riot police intervened with tear gas.
The insurance industry’s gripe with Uber revolves around UberX drivers not having commercial policies. Uber maintains its $5-million policy with
AIG Canada is sufficient to handle additional damages not covered by personal policies.
Sajid Mughal, President of iTaxiworkers, with over 500 drivers in Toronto, told reporters “the message we’re getting from the drivers is that we should shut down the city.”
He insisted scenes similar to France are “not what we want.” But he maintained Toronto Mayor John Tory and Police Chief Mark Saunders should share the blame for allowing UberX to operate without licensing fees or regulation should trouble erupt.
“Everybody should wake up…the drivers are suffering.”
The mayor’s office released a statement after hearing the threats.
“The Mayor is sympathetic to the struggle drivers are facing -- but we reiterate the best solution is to come to the table and move this industry forward,” the statement said. “Strong-arm tactics and veiled threats will not accomplish anything.”
In a bid to shut down all of Uber’s operations in Toronto, the city is seeking a permanent injunction. After a two-day court hearing last month, a judge reserved his decision.
