Face of Nation : The City of London is seeking public input, through an on-line survey, on how best to improve taxi services for people in need of accessible taxis.
The survey is focusing on several issues including the demand for accessible transportation and the costs for companies that provide the service.
“Often customers have to pre-book,” said Nicole Musicco, a municipal policy specialist with the city. “The vehicle-for-hire industry is there for the general public and it should be the same level of service no matter what kind of service is needed.” But improving that service can be a challenge for companies that want to offer it, said Musicco.
“The number one barrier is the cost to either convert or maintain the accessible vehicles. We recognize that it’s quite expensive.” That has the city considering offering a subsidy as an incentive to get companies on board.
London has looked at services in Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Chicago and New York City, said Musicco. She said a popular program that has emerged is a per ride subsidy where a five dollar fee is paid to the company for every accessible vehicle-for-hire service. “That seems to be working in terms of helping those companies to pay for and maintain those vehicles,” said Musicco.
While the on-line survey is collecting feedback, staff will also be consulting with the city’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, industry leaders and the legal department to ensure “…we have all our ducks in a row,” she said. The survey will be posted on the city’s website until the end of October, with a possible extension.
