Source: http://fightyourtickets.ca/toronto-breach-of-bylaws-may-have-led-to-death/
Timestamp: 2017-09-24 01:25:07
Document Index: 321178251

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Toronto: Breach of Bylaws May Have Led to Death | Fight Your Tickets
Toronto: Breach of Bylaws May Have Led to Death
Toronto Taxi’s lined up at hotel taxi stand. Sometimes a taxi ride can make the difference between life and death.
Anyone that hails taxi’s on the street will have their own story as to the experience that they had, or didn’t have.
Those who “didn’t have” either have empty taxi’s blow by them with a lighted roof light on the top of their car or the taxi stops and the taxi driver refuses to accommodate them as passengers for a number of reasons:
the fare isn’t enough for the driver to drive a short distance, as a more significant fare may present itself with the next passenger flaggin him/her; as a result, the driver refuses the “shortfare”.
The passenger looks out of it or drunk.
The taxi driver refuses credit or debit (although the signs advertising acceptance of credit/debit cover the taxi).
The passenger is carrying something (like groceries) and the driver won’t even pull over because he/she assumes it is a short fare because people live near their local grocery store.
The passenger appears pregnant or ill.
Row of taxis at a taxi stand waiting for a fare.
In 2014 the City of Toronto Bylaw Enforcement Officers laid 160 charges against taxi driver’s for refusing fares, contrary to the Toronto Municipal Code – Chapter 545 (§545-147 see below) that comes with a fine of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00).
In the last five (5) years, the Bylaw Enforcement section of the Toronto’s Municipal Licensing and Standards received 5,888 complaints about taxi driver’s, only 760 were submitted against driver’s refusing fares, the main complaints related to the way driver’s drove or the driver’s being rude.
The City of Toronto only has 45 bylaw enforcement officers to cover Toronto in its entirety and they deal with alot more than just taxi drivers.
You can read the Taxicab-related legislation and changes to fee below:
Read the new bylaw 971-2014.
See the changes to fees 502-2014.
In 2014 the City of Toronto Bylaw Enforcement Officers laid 160 charges against taxi driver’s for refusing fares, contrary to the Toronto Municipal Code – Chapter 545 (§545-147 see below) that comes with a fine of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00) upon conviction.
In many ways, it still resembles the wild west out there, especially when your in need of a taxi and the driver of that taxi decides that he/she doesn’t need you as a passenger.
It was recently reported in the Star that two young women who were in need of a taxi were turned down by different drivers at a taxi stand because the distance they were travelling (from Dufferin Street to Lakeshore Blvd West/Bathurst Street) only amounted to an eight ($8) dollar fare.
When the two young women walked away from the taxi stand, one of them were fatally shot.
You can’t help think that the young women would have enjoyed a different fate, had they not been met with rejection, as they attempted to board an empty taxi.
The City of Toronto only has 45 bylaw enforcement officers to cover Toronto in its entirety and they deal with alot more than just taxi drivers/brokers.
Here is what the Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 54 says about taxi driver’s refusing fares:
§ 545-147.5. Right to refuse service to certain passengers; indication of being on duty or off duty.
A. Except as provided in Subsection C, a driver who refuses to serve the first person requesting the service of his or her taxicab at any place within the City of Toronto at anytime of day or night is guilty of an offence.
B. Notwithstanding any provision in this section, nothing herein permits any owner or driver to contravene the provisions of §545-
147. 1A.
C. A driver may refuse to serve the first person requesting the service of his or her taxicab, provided that such owner or driver immediately records his or her reasons for such refusal on his or her taxicab operator log, if such person requiring the service:
(1) Owes such owner or driver for a previous fare or service;
(2) Upon being requested by such owner or driver, refuses to disclose his or her final destination before or immediately after entering the taxicab
TAXICAB –
An ambassador taxicab, a standard taxicab, a Toronto Taxicab
and an accessible taxicab.
When used in reference to a taxicab, “owner” includes: [Amended 2014 – 06 – 13 by By-law No. 503-2014 16]
(1) The owner of a cab licensed as such or required to be licensed as such under this chapter; and
(2) The holder of the plate portion of a permit issued by the Ministry of Transportation, and,where the records of the Ministry of Transportation indicate that the motor vehicle is leased, the lessee, who is registered as such with the Ministry of Transportation.
TAXICAB BROKER –
Any person who accepts requests in any manner for taxicabs used for hire and which are owned by persons other than himself or herself, his or her immediate family or his or her employer.
[Amended 2014 – 06 -13 by By-law No. 503 – 2014 17]
§545 – 2. Licence requirement.
(9) Every owner and every driver of a taxi cab.
[Amended 2014-06-13 by By-law No.503 – 2014 24]
(44) Every taxicab broker.
B. Applicability to owners and drivers of cabs.
(1) Subject to Subsection B(2) of this section, Subsection A(9) shall apply to every owner and every driver of a cab engaged in the conveyance of goods or passengers from any point within the City of Toronto to any point outside the City of Toronto.
[Amended 2007- 04- 24 by By-law No. 435 – 2007; 2007- 09 -27 by By-law No. 1082 – 2007; 2007-12-13 by By-law No. 1425-2007]
B. Mandate of the Toronto Licensing Tribunal.
(1) The Toronto Licensing Tribunal shall conduct the hearings and perform the duties that are assigned to it under this chapter.
(2) City Council has delegated its decision -making powers to the Toronto Licensing Tribunal as a quasi-judicial adjudicative body to hear evidence and submissions and make independent decisions after a hearing respecting whether a licence should be issued, refused, suspended, revoked or have conditions placed upon it.
(3) Chapter 545 of the Municipal Code sets out City Council’s objectives with respect to licensing matters, and the Toronto Licensing Tribunal, through its independent adjudicative powers, shall:
(a) Uphold the spirit and intent of the Municipal Code;
(b) Determine the extent to which an applicant’s or licensee’s individual circumstances and qualifications meet the requirements of the Municipal Code;
(c) Have regard for the need to balance the protection of the public interest with the need for licensees to make a livelihood;
(d) Ensure the hearing process is accessible and transparent and that hearings are conducted in a timely manner with due process; and,
(e) Report on its activities through the Annual Report required by Subsection E.
I. Licence to be posted on premises or carried by licensee.
(1) Every person obtaining a licence under this chapter, where the same applies to premises, shall keep his or her licence posted up in some conspicuous place on the premises in respect of which the licence is issued, and every person so licensed shall, when so requested by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division, produce the licence for inspection.
(2) Every person obtaining a licence under this chapter, where the same applies to the occupation of such person, shall carry such licence with him or her when engaged in the occupation for which the licence is issued, and every person so licensed shall,
when so requested by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division, produce the licence for inspection.
[Amended 2014-06-13 by By-law No. 503-2014]
§ 545-123. Records of trips to be kept.
Every taxicab broker shall keep a record of every car dispatched on a trip, the date and time of dispatch, the place of pick-up and destination of such trip and shall retain such record for a period of at least 12 months and shall, at the request of the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division, produce such records for inspection.
§ 545 -124. Information to be obtained by taxicab brokers.
A. Every taxicab broker shall give to the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division a list of all taxicabs in respect of which he or she has any arrangement or agreement for the accepting of requests for service, identifying such taxicab by the name of the owner and the number of the plate issued by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division, and shall, within 48 hours of any addition to or deletion from such list, advise the Municipal
Licensing and Standards Division in writing thereof.
B. Every taxicab broker shall ascertain the name of every driver driving a taxicab in respect of which the said taxicab broker has any arrangement or agreement for the accepting of requests for service, and shall, within 72 hours of the time when such driver first drives such taxicab pursuant to a contract, agreement or arrangement, provide to the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division in writing the driver’s said name and the time when he
or she commenced to drive the said taxicab.
C. When a driver described in Subsection B ceases to drive a taxicab due to termination of any contract, agreement or arrangement as described in Subsection B, the taxicab broker
shall, within 72 hours of the said termination, notify the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division in writing of the said termination.
D. Subject to Subsection F hereof, every taxicab broker shall keep a record showing, in respect of his or her brokerage, the following information:
(1) The number of requests for taxicab service received;
(2) The number of such requests which are not serviced and the reason therefor;
(3) A continuous account of the number of taxicabs in active operation having the right to accept requests for service from the
said taxicab broker, including the times at which each such taxicab went on the road each day, any time or times thereafter during that day when it was off duty, and the time at which it was last
available for service to the public on that day;
(4) The number of dispatched requests serviced by each taxicab referred to in Subsection D(3); and
(5) A list of all complaints and compliments received concerning taxicab service provided by that broker or his or her brokerage or by taxicabs having the right to accept requests for service from such broker, including, with respect to each complaint or compliment, the following information:
(a) The name and taxicab driver’s licence number of the driver involved;
(b) The name of the person from whom it was received; and
(c) A brief description of the allegations contained therein
E. Subject to Subsection F hereof, every taxicab broker shall, within seven days of the end of each month, deliver to the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division a copy of the records required to be kept by him or her in accordance with Subsection D of this section in respect of the operation of the said taxicab broker’s brokerage during that month.
F. For the purpose of Subsections D and E of this section, “taxicab” does not include a taxicab belonging to an owner who does not own any other taxicab licensed or required to be licensed under this chapter.
G. Every taxicab broker shall register with the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division a record showing the amounts of all broke
rage fees charged by the taxicab broker.
ARTICLE VIII Owners and Drivers of Taxicabs
[Amended 2014-06-13 by By-law No. 503-2014; 2014-08-28 by By-law No. 971 – 2014]
§ 545-131. Definitions.
ACCESSIBLE TAXICAB – A taxicab used for the provision of taxicab services to persons with disabilities, in respect of which an owner’s licence was issued before the enactment of By-law No. 503-2014.
ACCESSIBLE VEHICLE – A motor vehicle equipped as a physically disabled passenger vehicle in accordance with R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 629, as amended, made under the Highway Traffic Act, as amended, and the Canadian Standards Association CAN3-D409-
M84 vehicle standards, as amended.
ACCESSIBLE TAXICAB TRAINING COURSE- The accessible taxicab training course approved by the Executive Director.
AMBASSADOR TAXICAB – A taxicab in respect of which an owner’s licence was issued after July 29, 1999, but does not include a standard or accessible taxicab.
DESIGNATED MECHANIC – A mechanic designated by the Executive Director to conduct examinations of taxicabs under this chapter.
DRIVER – A driver of a taxicab who is licensed as such or required to be licensed as such under this chapter, and includes an owner
who drives a taxicab.
DRIVERS’ LIST – The list maintained by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division in accordance with §545 -137.
HIS OR HER TAXICAB:
A. When used in reference to an owner, refers to a taxicab in respect of which the owner is licensed under this chapter.
B. When used in reference to a driver, refers to a taxicab driven or otherwise operated by the driver.
C. When used in reference to a person operating or exercising rights over a taxicab pursuant to a notice of designated custodian, a notice of designated agent, or a lease, refers to the relationship between that person and the taxicab.
INDIVIDUAL PERSON – A natural person.
A. Any contract, agreement, understanding or other arrangement whereby an owner or a designated agent permits another person to manage, operate, control, have custody of, or otherwise employ his or her taxicab, other than permitting a driver to drive the taxicab for one normal driver’s shift where the taxicab is returned to the owner or such person so designated at the end of such shift, and “to lease a taxicab” includes the act of any owner in entering into or becoming a party to such a contract, agreement, understanding or other arrangement.
B. Without limiting the generality of Subsection A, “lease” includes a power of attorney, management contract, “cash-in” agreement, and any other arrangement or agreement whereby any person other than an owner or designated custodian is allowed to exercise or does exercise any of the rights set out in Subsection A.
LESSEE- When used in reference to a taxicab or to a lease of a taxicab, means any person who is permitted to exercise or does exercise any of the rights set out in Subsection A of the definition
of “lease” pursuant to a lease.
LESSOR- When used in reference to a taxicab or to the lease of a taxicab, means an owner who enters into or is a party to a lease of his or her taxicab.
NEW VEHICLE – A motor vehicle that has not been previously bought, sold or leased by a licensed vehicle dealer.
NOTICE OF DESIGNATED AGENT – A notice filed with the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division in accordance with §
545 – 152.4, and “designated agent” means a person designated under such notice.
NOTICE OF DESIGNATED CUSTODIAN – A notice filed with the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division in accordance with §
545 – 152.3, and “designated custodian” means a person
designated under such notice.
NOTICE OF ELECTION – A notice of election form approved by the Executive Director, describing the elections available to persons on the drivers’ list under §545-133.1.
OWNER – Owner of a taxicab licensed as such or required to be licensed as such under this chapter.
PASSENGER – Any person in a taxicab other than the driver.
SALE – The sale of a taxicab in respect of which a licence is issued under this chapter, accompanied by an application to the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division for the issuance of a new licence.
SALE OF A STANDARD TAXICAB – Includes the sale or transfer, by one or more transactions, of the controlling interest in a corporation referred to in §545-151 and any transaction or
transactions by which such controlling interest is acquired.
STANDARD TAXICAB – A taxicab in respect of which a taxicab owner’s licence was issued before July 29, 1999, and includes all taxicabs in respect of which licences were issued as a result of a sale or transfer of a standard taxicab before July 1, 2014.
TORONTO TAXICAB – A taxicab in respect of which an owner’s licence is first issued after July 1, 2014.
TO OPERATE – When used in reference to a taxicab, includes to drive a taxicab, and to make a vehicle available to the public for use as a taxicab but does not include the services performed by
a taxicab broker licensed under this chapter.
YEAR DATE – The figures appearing under the heading “year” in the description of the motor vehicle portion of the current Ontario Ministry of Transportation passenger motor vehicle permit for any vehicle.
§ 545-132. Additional information to be filed with application for driver’s licence.
A. In addition to any information required to be furnished under this chapter, every applicant or a licence as a driver shall produce an unrestricted and fully privileged passenger vehicle driver’s licence issued by the Province of Ontario and shall submit three photographs of himself or herself, one of which shall be attached to the licence, and, upon application for renewal of any licence, shall furnish new photographs if required so to do by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division.
B. No owner shall be issued a taxicab driver’s licence.
§ 545-132.1. Training course before issuance of driver’s licence.
A. Every applicant for a licence as a driver shall attend and successfully complete the taxicab driver’s training course provided by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division, which course shall address skills relating to taxicab driving as set out in a
curriculum approved by the Executive Director or his or her designate.
B. The courses prescribed by §§ 545-132.1A and 545-132.2A
(1) shall include accessibility training as part of the curriculum approved by the Executive Director or his or herdesignate.
C. Effective January 1, 2015, the courses prescribed by §§ 545-
132.1A and 545-132.2A
(1) shall include simulated defensive driving training as part of the curriculum approved by the Executive Director or his or her designate.
§ 545-132.2. Training courses before renewal of driver’s licences
A. Every applicant for the renewal of a licence as a driver shall:
(1) Attend and success fully complete the taxicab driver’s refresher training course provided by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division once every four consecutive years, which course shall address skills relating to taxicab driving as set out in a curriculum
approved bythe Executive Director or his or her designate; and
(2) Subject to Subsection B, successfully complete a one-day first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation course provided by the City of Toronto’s Emergency Medical Services, or by such other agency as may be approved by the Executive Director, once every four
B. Subsection A(2) does not apply to a driver who is unable to attend the course due to health reasons and who files with the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division a medical certificate or report from a qualified medical practitioner stating that he or she isunable to attend the course due to health reasons.
C. Every driver of an accessible vehicle used as a taxicab shall, in addition to completing the taxicab driver’s refresher training course, attend and complete the accessibility refresher training course once every four consecutive years, as set out in a curriculum
approved by the Executive Director or his or her designate.
§ 545-132.3. Examination requirements before driver’s licence renewal.
A. A person previously licensed as a driver who fails to renew his or her licence for more than three consecutive years shall successfully complete the taxicab driver’s training course in accordance with § 545-132.1.
B. A person previously licensed as a driver who fails to renew his or her licence for any period up to and including three years shall be examined in accordance with § 545-132.1 but shall not be required to attend any classes or courses in relation to the examination.
C.Despite Subsections A and B, the Executive Director or his or her designate may, for compassionate reasons only:
(1)Exempt any person from Subsections A and B; or
(2)Direct that the licence be renewed on the condition that the applicant comply with Subsection A or B as soon as possible.
§ 545-133.
Issuance of Toronto Taxicab owner’s licence to persons on the Drivers’ List.
A. In this section “qualified persons” means persons who:
(1) Pay the prescribed fee for attendance at the Toronto Taxicab
Owners training course, plus any applicable taxes, and successfully complete that course;
(2) Comply with all provisions of this chapter applicable to the operation of a Toronto Taxicab; and
(3) Are entitled to the issuance of a licence in accordance with this chapter.
B.The Municipal Licensing and Standards Division may issue up to 290 Toronto Taxicablicences to qualified persons on the drivers’ list.
§ 545-139. Command of English language; minimum age of drivers.
A. Every owner and driver shall be able to speak, read and write the English language.
B. Every driver shall be at least 18 years old.
§ 545-139.1. Passenger vehicle driver’s licence to be maintained.
Every driver shall have and maintain in good standing at all times an unrestricted and fully privileged passenger vehicle driver’s licence issued by the Province of Ontario, and the taxicab driver’s licence, and the driving privileges of an owner conferred under this chapter shall, for all purposes of this chapter, be conclusively deemed suspended during any period in which such driver’s licence is under suspension.
§ 545-139.2. Owners and drivers to be licensed.
A. No driver shall drive any taxicab unless the owner ofthe taxicab is licensed as such under this chapter.
B. No owner shall allow any person other than a licensed driver
to operate his or her taxicab.
C. No driver, while having the care and control of a taxicab, shall permit any person other than the owner or an employee of the owner of the taxicab to drive it.
D. Every owner of more than one taxicab required to be licensed under this chapter shall take out a separate licence for each taxicab.
E. Every driver and owner shall carry his or her licence with him or her at all times while operating a taxicab and shall produce the licence for inspection when requested to do so by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division or a police officer.
F. No owner shall permit any taxicab which he or she does not own
to be driven under the authority of his or her owner’s licence.
§ 545-139.3. Medical examination of owner or driver.
A. Where there are reasonable grounds to believe that, by reason of illness, injury or anyother physical or mental impairment, the conduct of an owner or driver may not be in accordance with this chapter, or may endanger the health or safety of other persons, the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division and the Toronto Licensing Tribunal may require such owner or driver to be medically examined by a duly qualified medical practitioner, and the medical practitioner may make a report of the examination to the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division or the Toronto Licensing Tribunal, as the case may be.
§ 545-140. Taximeters.
A. Every owner shall ensure that his or her taxicab is equipped with a taximeter which registers distances travelled, records trips and units, and computes fares to be paid, and each taximeter shall be:
(1) Submitted for testing, inspection and sealing by a person designated by the Executive Director at the times required by the Executive Director or his or herdesignate;
(2) Illuminated between sunset and sunrise;
(3) In plain view of the passengers and approved by the Executive Director or his other designate;
(4) Adjusted in accordance with the rates prescribed by Chapter 545, Appendix C, “Tariff A”;
(5) Tested by running the taxicab to which it is attached over a measured track or distance before being sealed, or by such mechanical means as the Executive Director or his or her designate may approve;
(6) Used only when its seal is intact;
(7) Kept in good working condition at all times and not used when defective in anyway;
(8) Numbered and, subject to the provisions of this chapter, of a make and model approved by the Executive Director or his or her designate;
(9) Equipped with a light, approved by the Executive Director or by his or her designate, which is clearly visible from any direction outside the taxicab; and
(10) Programmed to record the income of each driver of the taxicab.
B. The taximeter referred to in Subsection A shall be set up in such a manner that:
(1) When the taximeter is in operation the light prescribed by Subsection A(9) shall be illuminated and the electric sign prescribed by §545 -141.1B(5) shall be extinguished; and
(2) When the taximeter is not in operation the light prescribed by Subsection A(9) shall be extinguished and the electric sign referred to in §545 – 141.1B(5) shall be illuminated.
C. No driver or owner of a taxicab equipped with a taximeter shall
operate or permit to be operated any such taxicab:
(1) Unless and until the taximeter has been tested and sealed by a person designated by the Executive Director, hereinafter called the “meter tester”;
(2) When the taximeter or the taximeter seal has been changed, repaired, altered, adjusted or broken, unless and until the taximeter has been subsequently tested and sealed by the meter tester;
(3) When any object within the taxicab obstructs the view from any direction outside the taxicab of the light referred to in Subsection A(9);
(4) Unless the electric sign referred to in §545-141.1B(5) is operating in the manner prescribed in Subsection B; or
(5) Unless the taximeter is illuminated between sunset and sunrise.
D. If a taximeter is repaired or altered when the meter tester is off duty, the taxicab may be operated without the taximeter having been tested or sealed until the meter tester is again on duty, but only if the owner or driver of the taxicab has in his or her possession a certificate from the person who made the repairs or alteration stating the time, date and nature thereof and the place where the work was done and the certificate has been
countersigned by the officer in charge of the police station nearest to the place where the work was done.
§ 545-141.1. Required equipment and markings; prohibitions.
A. Every driver shall, at all times when driving a taxicab, have his or her photograph and name affixed in a place in the taxicab approved by the Executive Director or his or her designate so that it is plainly visible to, and readable by, passengers in the back seat.
B. When a vehicle is being operated as a taxicab, the owner shall provide and maintain in and on the vehicle the following equipment and markings:
(1) A plate supplied by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Divi
sion and bearing an identifying number, securely affixed to the back of the taxicab in a position approved by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division;
(2) The number on the plate referred to in Subsection B(1) painted on the exterior sides of the taxicab in numbers at least 15 centimetres high and of contrasting colour, all to the approval of the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division;
(3) A tariff card supplied by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division and bearing the name of the owner of the taxicab and the number referred to in Subsection B(1), affixed in a place in the taxicab approved by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division such that it is plainly readable by passengers in the back seat;
(4) A holder for the tariff card and photograph and name of the driver or owner in a place in the taxicab approved by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division as required by §§ 545 – 141.1A and 545-150J;
(5) On the top of the taxicab an electric sign, permanently and securely affixed, approved by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division, indicating that the vehicle is a taxicab, which sign:
(a) Shall be co-ordinated with the operation of the taximeter in the manner provided in §545-140B;
(b) Shall not show a name or telephonenumber of any person, firm or corporation other than the name and telephone number of the person, firm or corporation presently holding the licence as owner of the taxicab, or of a taxicab broker with whom the taxicab is associated; and
(c) Shall be maintained by the owner in good repair and be clearly readable by persons outside the taxicab;
(6) A centre, rear high-mounted stop lamp installed in accordance with the regulations made under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, S.C. 1993, c.16, as amended;
(7) A sign or signs, as approved by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division, affixed in a manner and in a location satisfactory to the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division to indicate clearly to any passenger upon entering or intending to enter or while seated in the vehicle that smoking is not permitted;
(8) Three “Watch for Bikes” stickers, in a form approved by the Executive Director or his or her delegate, one affixed to the driver’s side mirror, one affixed to the right rear side window and one affixed to the left rear side window, affixed in manner that will not obstruct the driver’s view; and
(9) A Taxicab Bill of Rights which contains the information set out in Chapter 545, Appendix “P” in a form approved by the Executive Director or his or her designate, affixed to the back of the front passenger seat.
C. No driver or owner shall operate or permit to be operated any taxicab unless it is:
(1) Equipped with an extra tire and wheel ready for use;
(2) Clean as to its exterior;
(3) In good repair as to its exterior;
(4) Clean as to its interior;
(5) In good repair as to its interior;
(6) Free from mechanical defects; and
(7) Equipped with a plate supplied by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division securely affixed as required by §545-141.1B(1).
§ 545-144.3. Air-conditioning and heating systems.
A.No owner or driver shall operate or permit to be operated his or her taxicab unless the taxicab is equipped with fully functional air-
§ 545-146. Age of vehicles for Standard Taxicabs.
A. A motor vehicle that by year date is more than five model years old shall not be used as a standard taxicab.
B. Despite Subsection A, a standard taxicab that is operated exclusively by the owner of the taxicab shall not be more than six model years old by year date except that it may be seven model years old by year date if it was a new vehicle when it became registered as a taxicab.
§ 545-146.1. Age of vehicles for Ambassador Taxicabs.
A motor vehicle that by year date is more than six model years old shall not be used as an ambassador taxicab except that it may be seven model years old by year date provided that it was a new vehicle when it became registered as a taxicab.
§ 545-146.2. Age of accessible vehicles.
A. The holder of a Toronto Taxicab licence shall provide a motor vehicle that by year date is no more than two model years old for use as that owner’s taxicab.
B. A motor vehicle that by year date is more than seven model years old shall not be used as an accessible or Toronto Taxicab.
§ 545-147. Taxicab operator log.
A. A driver or owner who drives a taxicab shall keep a record in the form set out in Chapter 545, Appendix D, “Operator Log” of the operation of the taxicab, and the Operator Log shall contain the following information for each shift or working period that the taxicab is operated:
(1) The number of the taxicab;
(2) The provincial plate number of the vehicle;
(3) The date and time on which the driver or owner started and
finished work;
(4) The taxicab driver or owner’s licence number;
(5) The signature of the taxicab driver or owner; and
(6) The details of any refusals of service, in accordance with §545-147.5C.B. A driver or owner who is driving a taxicab shall rec
ord the starting information required in the Operator Log before the commencement of any shift or continuous working period and shall record the ending information required on the Operator Log at the conclusion of any shift or continuous working period they work.
C. An owner shall ensure that the driver operating his or her taxicab completes the Operator Log as required by Subsection A and provides the Operator Log to the owner, or his or her designated custodian, within seven days of the conclusion of a shift.
D. Operator Logs shall be kept for at least 12 months by the owner, designated agent or lessee of the taxicab and shall be open to inspection by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division which may remove the records and retain them for a reason able period of time.
§ 545-147.2. General provisions respecting the operation of taxicabs.
A. No owner or driver shall carry in any taxicab a greater number of persons than the manufacturer’s rating of seating capacity of the taxicab inclusive of the driver.
B. No owner or driver shall drive a taxicab with luggage or other material piled or placed in a manner that obstructs his or her view.
(1) No owner or driver shall smoke in his or her taxicab.
(2) In this section, “smoke” includes the carrying of a lighted cigar, cigarette,pipe or any other lighted smoking equipment.
D. Subject to Subsection E, every driver shall turn off any radio or other sound-producing mechanical device in his or her taxicab upon the request of a passenger, and shall leave the device in the off position until that passenger’s trip has been completed.
E. Every driver whose taxicab is equipped with a two- way radio pursuant to a contract, agreement or arrangement with a taxicab broker for the obtaining of fares shall activate the radio when he or she first enters the taxicab and maintain it in full operation so as to
permit him or her to receive calls from the broker throughout the period in which he or she is operating the taxicab in the City of Toronto.
F. No owner or driver shall take, consume or have in his or her possession any liquor while he or she is in charge of his or her taxicab, nor shall the use of liquor by him or her be apparent while he or she is in charge of any such taxicab.
G. Every driver or owner shall be properly dressed, neat and clean in person, and be civiland well-behaved, and while on any public taxicab stand shall sit or stand sufficiently close to his or her taxicab so as to have it constantly under close observation, and shall not in any way obstruct the use of the sidewalk,or make any loud noise or disturbance.
H. Any owner or driver who changes his or her address shall, within two days after the change, attend at the offices of the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division and notify the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division of the change of address and produce his or her licence for the change to be entered thereon.
I. No person licensed under this chapter shall solicit or employ or allow any runner or other person to assist or act in concert with him or her in soliciting any person to take or use his or her taxicab on any public highway, lane, street, common, park or square.
J. No owner shall pay any female driver in his or her employ wages at a lesser rate than he or she pays to male drivers in his or her employ, or if such owner only employs female drivers, at a lesser rate than the prevailing rate paid by other owners to their male drivers.
K. The Municipal Licensing and Standards Division may, upon receiving information which indicates that a taxicab has not been actively operated in providing taxicab service to the public for two full shifts daily for at least five days during any seven-day period, require that the owner of that taxicab attend before the Toronto Licensing Tribunal for a hearing to determine whether the licence should be suspended, revoked or have conditions placed on it.
L. Every owner and driver shall take due care of all property delivered or entrusted to him or her for conveyance or safekeeping.
M. Every driver shall, immediately upon the termination of any hiring or engagement, carefully search his or her taxicab for any property lost or left therein, and all property or money left in his or her taxicab shall be forthwith delivered over to the owner of the
property or money, or if the owner cannot at once be found, then to the nearest police station, with all information in his or her possession regarding the same.
N. No driver or owner shall knowingly drive or permit to be driven about the streets in his orher taxicab any person for the purpose of soliciting from the taxicab for acts of prostitution.
O. No owner or driver shall induce any person to employ his or her taxicab by knowingly misleading or deceiving such person as to the location or distance of any place or by making any false representation to such person.
P. No person licensed under this chapter who is operating a taxicab, other than a taxicab which is actually being used for the transportation of children to and from school or for the transportation of one or more persons with disabilities pursuant to an agreement between any owner or taxicab broker and the Toronto Transit Commission, shall take on any additional passenger after the taxicab has departed with one or more passengers from
any starting point except at the request of a passenger already in the taxicab or with the approval of the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division due to special emergency conditions.
Q. Every driver shall:
(1) Report forthwith to his or her employer any accident in which he or she was involved while operating his or her employer’s taxicab; and
(2) At the expiration of his or her work period return the taxicab to his or her employer and shall not at any time abandon the taxicab or permit any other person to drive same.
R. A driver may carry parcels, letters or documents without carrying a passenger at the same time, provided that:
(1) The driver maintains the taximeter in operation throughout the trip
(2) The driver takes the shortest possible route to the destination;
(3) Subject to the minimum charge prescribed by Chapter 545, Appendix C, “Tariff A”, the driver charges the amount of the fare registered on the meter; and
(4) No passenger is accepted by the driver after he or she has been engaged to deliver such parcel, letter or document.
S. Every owner and every lessee of a taxicab in respect of whose taxicab there is a contract, agreement or arrangement with a taxicab broker for the accepting of requests for service shall, forthwith after the commencement by every driver of a contract, agreement or arrangement pursuant to which the driver is to drive the taxicab, provide to the taxicab broker the name and taxicab driver’s licence number of the driver and the time when he or she first commenced to drive the taxicab pursuant to the contract, agreement or arrangement, and upon the termination of a contract, agreement or arrangement with a driver the owner or lessee shall forthwith notify the taxicab broker of the termination.
T. Use of cellular telephones.
(1) Definition. As used in this subsection, the following term shall have the meaning indicated:
EMERGENCY- In the case of an outgoing call, situations including the medical distress of a passenger, traffic accidents, fires and the commission of crimes which are observed by a driver or owner driving his or her taxicab; and in the case of incoming calls, includes family crises such as a medical emergency.
(2) No driver or owner driving his or her taxicab shall use a cellular telephone while the taxicab is for hire, passengers are in the vehicle and the taxicab is engaged in transporting passengers, except in an emergency.
C. A driver may refuse to serve the first person requesting the service of his or her taxicab, provided that such owner or driver immediately records his or her reasons for such refusal on his or her taxicab operator log, if such person requiring the
147.1A.
§ 545-148. Maximum hours in a shift.
A. No driver shall operate a taxicab for more than 12 hours during any period of 24 consecutive hours.
B. No owner shall permit any driver to operate such owner’s taxicab for any period in excess of the hours prescribed by this section.
A. Subject to Subsections E(3), (4) and (5), the rates or fares to be charged by the owners or drivers of taxicabs shall be exactly as shown in Chapter 545, Appendix C, “Tariff A”, and no greater or lesser amount shall be demanded or received, provided that owners or drivers may charge a lesser amount to passengers in need who are over 65 years of age or are persons with disabilities.
B. When operating on a meter basis, the rate of fare charged shall be exactly as shown by the taximeter, together with any additional charges authorized by Chapter 545, Appendix C, “Tariff A”.
C. No owner or driver shall publish or use a tariff or demand or receive rates and charges other than those authorized by this chapter, whether such rates and charges are determined by distance or by time.
D. No owner or driver shall be entitled to recover or receive any fare or charge from any person from whom he or she shall have demanded any fare or charge greater or less than those authorized by this chapter, or to whom he or she has refused to show his or her tariff card as provided in this chapter.
E. Taximeters to be placed in operation; flat rates.
(1) When a passenger first enters a taxicab, the driver shall immediately place the taximeter in an operating position and maintain it in operation throughout the trip.
(2) Every driver providing taxicab service to a passenger shall take the shortest possible route to the destination desired unless the passenger designates another route.
(3) If a trip extends more than five kilometres beyond the limits of the City of Toronto, the driver and passenger may agree before the start of the trip to a flat rate, but the driver shall maintain the taximeter in operation at all times within the limits of the City of Toronto or within five kilometres from those limits.
(4) When a trip originates within the City of Toronto, excluding the area bounded by Kipling Avenue on the east, Finch Avenue on the north, Eglinton Avenue on the south and the western boundary of the City of Toronto, and terminates at Lester B. Pearson International Airport, the passenger may be charged a flat rate equal to the rate applicable in Appendix M, Taxi Tariffs from the City of Toronto to Lester B. Pearson International Airport, for that trip or the passenger may elect to pay the taximeter rate, whichever is lower.
(5) Where a taxicab brokerage has entered into a flat rate arrangement in accordance with §545-130, the driver who services the call shall place and maintain in operation the taximeter in the taxicab that he or she is driving, and the rate or fare to be charged to the customer for the trip shall be the flat rate.
(6) Every driver shall place the taximeter in the taxicab in operation when a passenger is in the taxicab within the City of Toronto or within five kilometres from the City of Toronto.
(7) Every driver who fails to place his or her taximeter in operation as required by this section or who fails to maintain it in operation as required by this section and who charges a passenger for a fare for a trip during which such failure occurs is guilty of an offence.
F. At the conclusion of the trip, the driver shall call the passenger’s attention to the amount of fare registered on the taximeter and shall place the taximeter in a non-operating position.
G. No licensed person shall make any charge under this chapter for time lost through defects or inefficiency of the taxicab or incompetency of the driver thereof or for time consumed by the arrival of the taxicab in response to a call in advance of the time such taxicab has been requested by the person calling same.
H. The tariff or rates herein authorized shall be computed from the time when, or place at which, the passenger or passengers first enter the taxicab to the time when, or place at which, the passenger or passengers finally discharge the taxicab.
I. Every driver and owner, while operating a taxicab, shall keep and maintain at all times in the taxicab at least $20 in bills and coins of denominations less than $20, such that change may be provided to passengers of the taxicab.
J. No owner shall allow to be operated and no driver shall operate any taxicab without having the tariff card supplied by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division with respect to that taxicab displayed in the holder provided for in §545-141.1B(4).
K. No owner shall allow to be operated and no driver shall operate any taxicab without a sign, as approved by the Executive Director or his or her designate, to indicate clearly that the fare as shown on the taximeter includes the harmonized sales tax.
L. A driver or owner shall give a passenger a receipt when requested or whenever there is a dispute over the fare, which receipt shall state the date, the time of the commencement and
conclusion of the trip, the distance travelled, the plate number of the taxicab, the total fare charged and the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division taxicab customer service telephone number.
M. When a dispute arises with a passenger as to the fare, the driver or owner may, if the passenger agrees, refer the dispute to the officer in charge of the nearest police station, and if the driver or owner was correct in the demand for fare made, he or she may add to the fare an amount equal to the proper charge under Chapter 545, Appendix C, “Tariff A” for the distance travelled from the place where the dispute arose to the police station, and any reasonable waiting time while the dispute was being investigated.
N. Subsections A and F do not apply to taxicab service provided to one or more persons with disabilities pursuant to an agreement between any owner or taxicab broker and the Toronto Transit Commission.
O. No owner shall allow to be operated and no driver shall operate any taxicab without having multiple copies of an airport flat fee map to be supplied by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Division and every driver shall, upon request, provide copies of the map to passengers.
P. If a taxicab is equipped with a means of accepting debit or credit card payments, the owner or driver of the taxicab shall not operate the taxicab unless it bears signs affixed to each rear passenger door in a manner and in a location satisfactory to the Municipal
Licensing and Standards Division to indicate clearly to any passenger upon entering or intending to enter the taxicab the amount of any fee charged for making payment with a debit or credit card.
Q. A driver or owner driving his or her taxicab, upon being asked by a passenger whether he or she accepts debit or credit cards as a form of payment for the fare shall inform the passenger of any additional fees that would be incurred as a result of paying with either type of card.
R. If the means to accept debit or credit card payments is not available for any reason, the sign referred to in § 545-150P shall be removed from display forthwith until such means is once more available.
S. Advance Payment
(1) A driver may, at the commencement of a trip, request advance payment of the rate or fare in an amount equal to the estimated fare to a maximum of $25.00.
(2) A driver who requests advance payment of the rate or fare shall:
(a) Provide a receipt for the advance payment if requested by the passenger;
(b) If the taxicab is affiliated with a taxicab broker, contact the broker to confirm the amount of the fare estimate if requested to do so by the passenger; and
(c) If, at the conclusion of the trip, the advance payment exceeds the amount indicated on the taximeter, return to the passenger the excess amount.
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