Anti-Uber protest in downtown Toronto
The video below went viral online, and shows a taxi driver being dragged more than 20 metres in downtown Toronto during an anti-Uber protest in front of City Hall, all while confronting a driver working for the ride-hailing service.
The protest, which involved cabbies congregating at different points throughout the city before heading down to Nathan Phillips Square, brought traffic on the highways and around Queen’s Park to a screeching halt. Protestors eventually pushed their way into city hall, not long after a handful of cabbies ended a hunger strike they were staging in Nathan Phillips Square.
According to CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/uber-keeps-driving-on-in-canada-despite-opposition-from-cities-1.3021764), several municipalities across the country have accused Uber of operating illegally, in addition to endangering the lives of passengers. They assert that “Uber provides the services of a taxi company without complying with the licenses and regulations that govern that industry.” The company’s UberX service has also been criticized for allowing “unlicensed” drivers to offer rides in their own vehicles – trips are not eligible under the insurance plans that cover licensed taxi rides.
Uber’s big defense is that they are not a transportation company, but that technically, since they provide the software (companion app system) that allows users hail drivers nearby, makes them a technology company. And therefore, not subject to the same rules or regulations as a traditional transport company.
Sajid Mugha, president of the Fleet Operators Association, told CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/taxi-driver-dragged-video-1.3357166) the taxi driver’s behaviour is “unacceptable,” but said the video “illustrates the frustration of our drivers.” He continued by saying that licensed drivers are beginning to feel desperate, as the cost of insurance requirements and safety checks, coupled with the fact that Uber is stealing half their business, have left many financially ruined.
Uber Canada also condemned the altercation.
“We were alarmed to see this act of taxi aggression against Toronto Uber users,” said Uber’s Susie Heath in an email to CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/taxi-driver-dragged-video-1.3357166).
Chris MacDonald, professor of Business Ethics at Ryerson University, argues that Uber is here to stay, stating there’s no doubt the model will become globally prevalent having already been executed in 300 cities worldwide, adding “the company is clearly filling a genuine need in the market.”