Proposed bylaw changes would make wheelchair-accessible taxis more available in Fredericton
Taxi companies would be required to have at least 1 wheelchair-accessible vehicle in fleet
Proposed bylaw changes could soon make it easier for people who use wheelchairs to get around Fredericton.
City hall has put forward a new requirement that every taxi company have at least one wheelchair-accessible vehicle available in their fleet during operating hours.
The new requirement could make life a little easier for Richard Steeves.
"I think it would give people a little more independence, a little more freedom that they can ... go to the movies, go to the shows, go out at night, go to a friend's house at night."
Earlier this month, Fredericton councillors gave preliminary approval to changes to the city's taxi bylaw that would usher in the new requirement.
A third and final vote is expected at next month's council meeting. If it passes, the requirement would take effect in April.
Fredericton Transit already operates an accessible bus geared toward transporting people who rely on wheelchairs or have other mobility challenges.
But using it requires passengers to book a week in advance, and the hours during which it operates are limited, Steeves said.
"Sometimes that's a pickle, because I just had here a while ago, I needed to go out for something and I couldn't get [the accessible bus on] that day."
Accessible taxi-cabs would be the answer for those who need to book last-minute trips, said Coun. Bruce Grandy, chair of the city's mobility committee.
However, none of the city's taxi companies have had accessible vehicles regularly available in their fleets previously, he said.
"If they [passengers] needed to get somewhere in a hurry … that was a challenge," Grandy said.
Checker Cab added a wheelchair-accessible taxi to its fleet earlier this year after learning the requirement by the city was on its way, said company president George Youssef.
That vehicle cost between $30,000 and $40,000, he said, and the fare for using it is the same as the rest of its vehicles.
"I'm really hopeful that what we're doing with the city is making [taxi service] more easily available for the people that are in a wheelchair. And I'm hoping that this does really help them a lot," Youssef said.
Age limit on vehicles going up
Youssef said the new requirement was made more economically palatable by another regulatory change that's coming at the same time.
The bylaw amendments also include raising the maximum age of taxi cabs from five to nine years, bringing the age limit for taxis in Fredericton more in line with other cities like Moncton and Saint John, where the limit is 10 years.
Under the current five-year limit, Youssef said his company would typically buy a three-year-old vehicle, and get two years out of it before having to scrap it.
But since the Covid-19 pandemic shocked global supply chains, Youssef said used cars and their replacement parts have climbed rapidly in price.
With the new age limit, Youssef said he'll be able to buy older, but more gently used vehicles, saving on operating costs.
"Once this is in effect, we'll be able to see in six months to a year down the road how ... much the savings are, and my intention is to try to drop those [fare] prices," Youssef said.
There are three taxi companies currently operating in Fredericton, two of which have already purchased an accessible vehicle, said Brad Cameron, assistant director of public safety communications and services with the City of Fredericton.
He said the new rules do not apply to ride-sharing companies like U-Ride, which are governed under a separate city bylaw.
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