City councillors have passed a long-awaited update to the bylaw that regulates taxis in Yellowknife.
At a meeting at City Hall on Wednesday, councillors passed the third and final reading of the new Taxi Bylaw, replacing the current Livery License Bylaw.
“Well done everybody,” Mayor Ben Hendriksen said following the vote. “Thank you to admin[istration] for all of your many years of work on that front.”
The city has described the bylaw as being “completely new” rather than a tweak of the old one, with modern language and improved organization.
Changes in the new bylaw include requirements for taxis to have security cameras and that an accessible taxi be available 24 hours a day.
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There are also increases to meter rates, while the bylaw allows drivers to request up to a $30 deposit for a trip.
The city is given expanded powers including the ability to refuse, suspend or cancel a taxi licence if it is “in the public interest to do so.”
Many of the updates are aimed at addressing public safety concerns.
Yellowknifer wants to launch new taxi app
Ahead of Wednesday’s vote, Robert Freeman, founder and chief executive officer of PickYou Technologies Inc, presented councillors his plan to launch an app called PickYou Dispatch in Yellowknife.
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He said the proposed app aims to “improve how riders connect with the Yellowknife licensed taxi industry” by allowing passengers to request rides with participating licensed taxi drivers, get trip status information, pay drivers and have a digital record of trips.
A website for the app said it would allow riders to see the taxi company, driver and vehicle assigned to their trip along with the estimated arrival time and a receipt once the ride is complete.
“Trip information and digital records, communication tools and appropriate reporting functions can provide riders and participants with better information before, during and after the trip,” Freeman said.
“Those tools do not replace licensed drivers or emergency services or existing safety requirements. They are intended to support communications, transparency and accountability around the transportation services.”
Before launching commercially, Freeman is asking the city for a written regulatory assessment to ensure the app complies with municipal requirements.
Acting city manager Charlesy White said the city will review the request.
