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Alliston Cabs operating without a licence, fined by municipality

August 31, 2013   ·   0 Comments

Last week, Alliston Cabs was again fined by the by-law enforcement officer for the Town of New Tecumseth.

The five new charges add to the existing charge, and conviction, for the business which is operating without a taxi drivers licence or taxi cab owners licence.

The Times spoke with the Town of New Tecumseth which confirms that Alliston Cabs has not had either licence in place since 2011.

However the business continues to operate within New Tecumseth, and has been spotted with fares as recently as last week.

“The municipality passed  taxi by-law 2005-010 to protect the safety and well being of the public who require taxi services. Similar to other municipalities, the by-law includes a number of requirements that must be met in order to obtain a taxi license in the Town of New Tecumseth. The key points to note are that in order to operate a taxi in the municipality you need to be licensed by the Town, the vehicle is to be clearly marked as a licensed taxi, smoke-free and accessible for those with disabilities. In addition, the licensee must provide a criminal record check and proof of insurance from a recognized insurance company. The insurance policy must provide liability insurance for property damage, personal injury or death to any person in the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000.00),” reads an e-mailed response from Kim Wingrove, Director, Economic Development & Communications for the Town of New Tecumseth. “Alliston Cabs was last licensed by the Town in 2011. The Town has attempted to work with the owner of the business since that time, in order to bring the taxi service into compliance. Our repeated requests for complete documentation have gone unanswered and our by-law enforcement officers have ticketed Alliston Taxi for operating without a license. Those tickets were unpaid and Alliston Cabs was convicted for operating without a license.”

“We are working in partnership with the OPP in this matter, as it is the OPP who has the ability to stop a moving vehicle and ask to see a valid taxi license and proof of insurance. We will continue to make every effort to protect residents by requiring the taxis that operate in our community meet the safety standards in our by-law.  Residents are encouraged to contact by-law enforcement at 705-435-3900 or 905-729-0057 ext.1225 to report complaints or infractions of the town’s by-laws.”

By Wendy Soloduik

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