UNFAIR UBER ADVANTAGE

I've been a taxi driver in Halifax Regional Municipality for about five years. I now own my own taxi and drive for one of the busiest cab companies.

I made a good living up until these past 10 months. COVID-19 came and my income dropped by 50 per cent overnight. Then the city passed a bylaw to allow Uber and other ride-sharing companies to start operating in HRM. This is reducing my income by a further 20 per cent, making it almost impossible to make a living as a cab driver.

I pay approximately $430 a month for taxi insurance, plus I have a car payment and stand rent of over $100 a week. Then there is the cost of gas and repairs. On top of this, I must have my car inspected once a year and pay for a criminal records check and vulnerable sector check. Also, there is $50 a year to license the taxi, plus another $50 for a licence from the city to drive it.

The city now has rules for Uber that make the playing field work in their favour. When someone decides to drive for Uber or any other ride-share company, they don't have to pay for a licence from the city for their car, nor do they have to buy a licence to drive it. They only have to inspect their car every two years and they don't have to purchase taxi insurance.

The mayor and HRM councillors have to take another look at this. They can either remove the fees for taxis or make car-share drivers pay the same fees we have to pay and have commercial insurance. I believe in competition when the playing field is fair.

Michael Whalen, Halifax