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Mayor Jim Watson is outright dismissing a call from taxi drivers for a seven-per-cent fare increase.
“I think seven per cent is far too high, far too excessive,” he said Wednesday.
“It’s my understanding we have the highest or close to the highest taxi fares already, so I certainly wouldn’t support a seven-per-cent increase.”
Rising fuel and insurance prices, not to mention that of every day essentials such as food and hydro, have prompted the Ottawa taxi drivers’ union to ask for the raise.
Amrik Singh Dhami, the union’s president, said drivers haven’t seen a fare increase since 2008.
“Is there anybody in this country who didn’t get an increase since 2008, including the mayor himself?” he asked.
In fact, Watson was elected in 2010 and hasn’t had a raise since.
Drivers don’t want to put a burden on their customers, but they need to make a living, Singh said, noting some might not take home more than $100 after spending 12 hours behind the wheel.
But Watson rejected the notion that drivers can’t make ends meet. Many stay in business because they are making money, but they want to make more money and recoup some of the costs of increased insurance and gas, he said.
He said the requested hike is well above the rate of inflation and isn’t something he supports.
“I understand taxi drivers work hard and they have expenses — insurance and gas prices and so on that go up — but the president of the union rejected our offer in essence of a 2.5-per-cent increase a couple years ago,” the mayor said.
Back in September 2011, city staff recommend an increase of 2.5 per cent, the same increase the city imposed at the time on OC Transpo fares, which would have made Ottawa’s taxi fares the most expensive in the country (at the time, they were among the top two or three, depending on the length of a trip).
But citing the wobbly economy, the drivers turned down the city’s offer.
“We want to convey the message to the public: ‘Use taxis. They’re not expensive,’” Singh said at the time.
“Everything has changed in three years,” he said Wednesday. Some drivers now pay more than $8,000 per year for insurance.
Singh will meet next week with the city’s bylaw office, which will ultimately bring forward a report for council to consider before fares are increased.
mpearson@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/mpearson78
查看原文...
“I think seven per cent is far too high, far too excessive,” he said Wednesday.
“It’s my understanding we have the highest or close to the highest taxi fares already, so I certainly wouldn’t support a seven-per-cent increase.”
Rising fuel and insurance prices, not to mention that of every day essentials such as food and hydro, have prompted the Ottawa taxi drivers’ union to ask for the raise.
Amrik Singh Dhami, the union’s president, said drivers haven’t seen a fare increase since 2008.
“Is there anybody in this country who didn’t get an increase since 2008, including the mayor himself?” he asked.
In fact, Watson was elected in 2010 and hasn’t had a raise since.
Drivers don’t want to put a burden on their customers, but they need to make a living, Singh said, noting some might not take home more than $100 after spending 12 hours behind the wheel.
But Watson rejected the notion that drivers can’t make ends meet. Many stay in business because they are making money, but they want to make more money and recoup some of the costs of increased insurance and gas, he said.
He said the requested hike is well above the rate of inflation and isn’t something he supports.
“I understand taxi drivers work hard and they have expenses — insurance and gas prices and so on that go up — but the president of the union rejected our offer in essence of a 2.5-per-cent increase a couple years ago,” the mayor said.
Back in September 2011, city staff recommend an increase of 2.5 per cent, the same increase the city imposed at the time on OC Transpo fares, which would have made Ottawa’s taxi fares the most expensive in the country (at the time, they were among the top two or three, depending on the length of a trip).
But citing the wobbly economy, the drivers turned down the city’s offer.
“We want to convey the message to the public: ‘Use taxis. They’re not expensive,’” Singh said at the time.
“Everything has changed in three years,” he said Wednesday. Some drivers now pay more than $8,000 per year for insurance.
Singh will meet next week with the city’s bylaw office, which will ultimately bring forward a report for council to consider before fares are increased.
mpearson@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/mpearson78
查看原文...
