A new taxi bylaw putting taxi companies and the ride share companies on a level playing field got the final approval from the Police Board this week.
Details on Taxi Bylaw document can be found on the North Bay Police Services website.
Police Chief Scott Tod says the final draft was presented to the board back in mid-December.
"At the closed meeting we presented the final draft, the very final draft with all the recent amendments that have been made and suggestions from around the community, the taxi industry and other providers," noted Tod to the media in December.
See related: New taxi bylaw another step closer to reality
The eight proposed changes for the taxi industry include a 10 per cent reduction in fees, eliminated cab size restrictions, removal of restrictions around using an app-based platform, and waiving licensing fees for accessible vehicles.
For ride share companies there will be licensing requirements relating to a driver's experience, significant annual fees to operate, record-keeping, and inspections. II’s also solely an app-based platform, waiving licensing fees for accessible vehicles and criminal record checks for all drivers.
Overall, it has been a long process for a bylaw that was anticipated to be in place in March of 2020.
