Developing and Sustaining a Professional Driver and Regulator’s Workforce

1. Developing and Sustaining a Professional Driver and Regulator’s Workforce International Association of Transportation Regulators Annual Training Conference Presenter: Glenn SteevesManager,TrainingSept. 2008

2. Toronto Taxi Drivers: Ambassadors of the City, a Report on Working Conditions • This report is divided into seven broad sections as well as recommendations. Each of these sections is highlighted throughout this presentation….

3. 1. Summary • The report: “Toronto Taxi Drivers: Ambassadors of the City, a Report on Working Conditions” presents findings of a survey of Toronto taxicab workers carried out between November 2006 and October 2007. • This convenience survey was conducted with 33 of the approximately 10,000 licensed taxicab drivers in the City of Toronto.

4. The survey aimed to document working conditions, income and expenses, regulations, health and safety and voice and organization of Toronto taxicab drivers. • This is the first systematic attempt to study the industry since the Report of the Task Force to Review the Taxi Industry in 1998.

5. The concluding recommendations of the report were as follows: • Form a driver’s association, recognized by the City, to represent driver interests and to collect information and statistics about working conditions • Require brokerages and plate owners to negotiate collectively with drivers over lease, shift and brokerage fees • Move existing lease and shift drivers to owner-operator and/or employee status without increasing the number of plates in Toronto

6. (Continued) • Conduct a city-sponsored survey, with recommendations, on policing practices in relation to the taxi industry • Create a taxi workers benefit fund out of revenue earned from fees and penalties paid by drivers • Study the use of protective shields • Resolve the issue of the double standard in airport exemption under a principle of fairness

7. 2. History & Structure of the Industry The history of the Toronto taxicab industry provided in the report highlights changes to by-laws allowing the sale of plates on the open market in 1963 and to leasing restrictions in the mid 1970’s as key factors leading to the dramatic changes in the structure of the industry. The report states that the structure of leasing “had an adverse impact on the quality of the industry” stating that “two-thirds of taxicab plate owners were not in the taxicab business”.

8. Current Industry Structure (Plates) • The most recent City of Toronto data cited in this report gave the following breakdown of the taxicab plates in Toronto: • 3480 Standard Taxicab Owner Licenses • 1403 Ambassador Taxicab Driver Licenses • 85 Accessible Taxicab Owner Licenses • 67% of Standard Plates are either leased directly or through a designated agent

9. Current Industry Structure (Drivers) • With an average of two drivers per taxicab, Toronto taxicab drivers who are not owners, generally operate on a lease or shift rental basis • At present, the lease rate is approximately $1150 per month • Shift drivers rent the taxicab on a daily or weekly basis, the cost is approximately $500 per week (including brokerage fee)

10. 3. Driver Relationships with the City • The 1998 Task Force to Review the Taxicab Industry Report noted 50 recommendations organized around five principles: • Create a Taxicab Passenger Bill of Rights with a focus on customer service • Improve the quality of the taxicabs; retire old vehicles and replace with new, quality vehicles • Improve training of drivers and owners; know what the public expects and have the skill to do the job • Create Ambassador taxicabs to put pride of ownership behind the wheel • Strengthen enforcement

11. This present report argues that these principles did not encompass the economic and social welfare of the drivers and that the by-laws passed from 2000 also do not reveal concern for driver welfare. • Despite this report, Toronto City Council has passed by-laws over the past several years regarding improved safety equipment in taxicabs (i.e. mandatory cameras), changes in smoking rules, maximum hours drivers are allowed to work in a 24 hour period and rights for drivers to refuse customers based on harassing or abusive behaviour.

12. 4. Income and Expenses • Data was gathered from the 33 Toronto taxicab drivers on average expenses, gross income from fares and hours worked. The results were divided into four categories: • Ambassador drivers • Lease drivers with a second driver • Lease drivers without a second driver • Shift drivers

13. Ambassador Driver Monthly Expenses Total Expenses: $2,821 Fares and Tips: $4,800 Net Income:$1,979 Broker Fees Car Fin. Gas Repairs Ins.

14. Lease Driver with 2nd Driver Total Expenses: $4,321 Fares and Tips: $4,819 Rent (2nd Driver): $1,882 Net Income: $2,380 Broker Fees Car Fin. Lease Repairs Ins. Gas

15. Lease Driver without 2nd Driver Total Expenses: $4,021 Fares and Tips: $5,100 Net Income: $1,079 Broker Fees Car Fin. Lease Repairs Ins. Gas

16. Shift Driver Total Expenses: $3,198 Fares and Tips: $4,148 Net Income: $950 Gas Rent

17. 5. Driver’s Lack of Voice • Drivers expressed their sense of lack of voice in different ways, from lack of influence at City Hall or in relation to the Police, to the lack of respect from City officials and the public • Drivers attributed their lack of voice to two things: • 1. A lack of respect because of their place in the economic and social hierarchy as low-income and racialized workers, and • 2. the absence of a strong organization to represent them

18. 6. Health and Safety • The report claims that health issues in the taxi industry are tied to the social marginalization of a largely immigrant and racialized workforce. • The report points to less than hourly minimum wage, long shifts, heavy reliance on fast food, not taking frequent washroom breaks while on the job and not being paid for days not worked as the primary factors for the health toll of taxi work. One driver was quoted as saying “Very few of us expect to live beyond 55.” • Drivers also reported other sources of stress such as lack of respect from the public, safety concerns and enforcement activity as contributing to their overall poor health.

19. 7. Possible Reforms • The reforms considered in the report are as follows: • Allow Ambassador drivers to hire a 2nd driver • Convert Ambassador plates into Standard plates • Regulate lease and shift rental rates • Cap the number of plates issued • Regulate taxi drivers as employees • Make protective shields mandatory

20. Conclusion • Closing Comments and Questions