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A2 -The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, January 24, 2006 Nv "q lopTwo more STARTSMARTto kit roads By MELANIE HENNESSEY The Champion Local residents could soon see two more accessible taxi cabs on Milton's roads now that the Town bas amended its taxicab and limousine bylaw. At its meeting January 16, counicil passed the revised bylaw that allows for two accessible taxicab owner's plates to, be released to two individuals on the plate waiting list this year. After that, the Town will go back to using the population ratio of one taxi plate for every 2,000 residents in 2007. Other amnendmaents include a I 5-hour Y O U "V H A Dlimnit on the shift a taxi driver cas work and 1 clarification around broker dispatching duties. While those in the local taxi industry indicated to, council they were happy to see the bylaw's wording refined to say dis- patching bas to be done "fromn the broker's office," they made one last push for further clarification at last week's meeting. A L L E A R .Lawyer William Perras, who was repre- senting the owners of Rainbow Taxi, asked that wording be added to specify dispatch- ing can't be done 'from a remnote location," meaning via celI phone by a person acting as a dispatcher and driver. "A driver who is dispatching is not in control of his vehicle. It creates a safety issue," he said. "There's a competition issue as well. but there's alsu a safety K ~issue." But. Town Licensing Administrator Selena Campbell explained staff thoughî it would be redundant to, add Mr. Perras' sug- gested wording. Mr. Perras also presented a petition con- taining almosi two dozen names of those in the local taxi industry who are opposed to brokerages calI forwarding their landlîne phone to ceil phones tor dispatching pur- poses. Ms Campbell noîed the bylaw ensures brokerages are to be staffed on a 24-hour ýà basis by a dispatcher. At a recent public meeting on the bylaw amrendmrents, a few counicillors cited con- cemns with the 45-day timne period the first two people on the plate waiting liat would be gîven to let the Town know if they're intereated in operating an accessible cab, tince there's no guarantee they would be. Ibis means the 45-day wait could be repeated several timnes until tbe Town finds d l ui5~~two takers. APR Staff 's report to counicil explaina that due to the eoncems raiaed, staff lowered that period to, 19 days. Currently there are 37 namnea on the wait- ing list. Melante Hennessey can be reached ai nihennessey@&milhoncanadianchampion.com. 400 Steeles Avenue .1-800-721-9396 www.miltontoyota.com ,s "çwmt. rflfxwl SAc M eq"m ýç te .'SSs.sR1Z&Y3x 9 of Smm M3,9% An 0 0 O iS251488. MMM a M3134i.Fçm F ~POE CSI 310) ha .pý ta. NIW M -1« Tff - 'Ad 0" dfM WMMV»MU T~OM aq OM 1W 9&*, "WW k -t Ba ~. 2= %W c,,el, G" *U 9mb- bu,, ROU C i Il MILTON TOYOTÀI 1