Photo by Whitehorse Star
Business licences revoked for taxi companies
The City of Whitehorse’s Bylaw Services department has revoked the business licences for Premier Cabs, as well as for Grizzley Bear Taxi, following “numerous violations” of the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw, the city said late this morning.
Revised - The City of Whitehorse’s Bylaw Services department has permanently revoked the business licences for Premier Cabs, as well as for Grizzley Bear Taxi, following “numerous violations” of the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw, the city said Tuesday.
“The decision to revoke a business licence is taken in consultation with multiple City departments and is considered a last resort after all attempts and efforts at voluntary compliance have been exhausted,” the city said in a brief statement.
“Effective at midnight on Thursday, Premier Cabs and Grizzley Bear Taxi are no longer authorized to operate as businesses within the City of Whitehorse.
“The public is encouraged to find alternate methods of transportation or use alternate vehicle for hire companies.
“Passenger and driver safety continues to be a priority for the City of Whitehorse,” the statement said.
Doug Spencer, the city’s manager of bylaw services, told the Star Tuesday he was not able to discuss the nature of the violations, given the ability of the companies to appeal.
Court documents examined by the Star indicate the companies were each charged with two counts of failing to provide priority service for clients requiring an accessible vehicle on Sept. 18, 2021.
Both companies initially pleaded not guilty, but changed their pleas to guilty on one count each at their court appearances last week.
They were each fined $1,000.
If an appeal is filed within 30 days under the business bylaw, it would be heard by city council.
If an appeal is made, Spenser said, council would be provided with all the information required.
No one was available from the two companies to comment on their fines and the losses of their licences.
Add your comments or reply via Twitter @whitehorsestar
In order to encourage thoughtful and responsible discussion, website comments will not be visible until a moderator approves them. Please add comments judiciously and refrain from maligning any individual or institution. Read about our user comment and privacy policies.
Your name and email address are required before your comment is posted. Otherwise, your comment will not be posted.
Comments (17)
Up 3 Down 0
@ Charlie's Aunt on Mar 28, 2022 at 9:35 am
When I worked at the T&M bar about 35 years ago or so, the Yellow Cab cabbies had a station right outside the door. Some of those cabbies would come in and order their vodka straight up, then get back in those cabs to drive those bar patrons to the next spot. The good ole' days - NOT.
Up 25 Down 0
Charlie's Aunt on Mar 23, 2022 at 7:36 pm
50 years ago we had the original Yellow and Black Top cab companies. Those drivers picked up from beer parlors at Whitehorse Inn and Cellar so they also had people up chucking in their cabs. Despite that they were reliable companies with great drivers who kept their cabs clean. In some countries a safety inspection on vehicles is needed every 3 years, without a pass a vehicle couldn't have registration until lights, brakes etc were in working order. Maybe time to implement a similar system here.
Up 21 Down 4
melba on Mar 23, 2022 at 5:25 pm
Thank you Mayor Laura Cabott and Council, and to the bylaw department who finally got this done.
Up 15 Down 9
JustSayin' on Mar 23, 2022 at 3:23 pm
I wouldn't want to be a cab driver in the Yukon. Picking people up from the airport, NBD, but to deal with intoxicated by alcohol and/or drugs after 10 pm on a regular basis would frustrate me to no extent. I remember seeing one cab driver at Mighty Wash who was rinsing out his car after someone had vomited in the back. Like with everything there are the good and bad ones.
This does come down to regulation. There are cabs which are in poor shape that are allowed on the road, but then again there are personal vehicles which should not be allowed on the road either. Someone commented, that some of them should not be driving, well where is law enforcement to ensure adherence? Heck on any day you can sit on the Alaska highway by the Hillcrest lights and see the formula race which occurs. Our entire system from registering cars, to cab operations and law enforcements needs to be revamped.
Up 11 Down 15
Groucho d'North on Mar 23, 2022 at 3:08 pm
I see this situation as another example of people trying to get by in hard times. The workers at the lower levels of the income strata are often challenged to make ends meet and look for various ways to save money or to make more. Dealing drugs is a lucrative enterprise here in the Yukon - even if you get caught as there is little to no penalty for breaking the law.
Spending hard earned money on maintenance for the cab is also not high on the list. As noted below, many of these cab drivers are from third world nations where vehicle safety standards do not exist, so without regular safety inspections who is to ensure the required repairs are made? I see many privately owned vehicles on the road that should also be safety inspected, lights that do not function, exhaust pipes and other apparatus dragging on the road, bald tires and I can only imagine the quality of the brakes in some of these wrecks on the road.
Up 14 Down 23
Politico on Mar 23, 2022 at 2:26 pm
@North_of_60 Why do anti immigrant people lie so much. If they were illegals when the RCMP ran a back ground check, that would have come out and they would have been disallowed! I'm sure the Star would have, if given such information would have checked it out! Any proof or just Tucker Calson embellishing the news as he is want to do!
Up 5 Down 24
Mitch Holder on Mar 23, 2022 at 10:14 am
You may have had bad experiences, but in my experience, Premier Cabs was the only company that when they told you 15 minutes, they were there in 15 minutes - not an hour, not, sorry my guy is stuck waiting at the airport for a money fare - on time! Have fun waiting for Yellow Cabs. They are stellar......
Up 35 Down 40
North_of_60 on Mar 23, 2022 at 12:10 am
People pretend to ignore the fact that many of the drivers responsible for the complaints are so-called 'refugees' who came across the border illegally and were shipped all over Canada by Trudeau as part of his woke diversity policies. The illegal 'refugees' were never properly vetted, and many are criminals escaping justice in the US.
When people vote for Lieberals there will be unpleasant consequences.
Up 39 Down 4
Austin on Mar 22, 2022 at 9:39 pm
They will just open up under a new name and continue on with the same old BS. If people actually think this will stop them they should pull their heads all the way. Pop. Why are there so many old deralict cabs in the Superstore parking lot?
Up 39 Down 3
About Time on Mar 22, 2022 at 7:47 pm
Glad to see the city finally taking a hard look at these companies. Don't stop here. Please perform checks on ALL the taxi companies in town to ensure they are compliant. The image of the taxi industry in town has been deeply damaged to the point where people would rather risk driving drunk then to trust one of these drivers. Not saying it is right or a good idea to do that but it does happen. Seems like they're a bunch of perverts, degenerates, and scumbags taking advantage of intoxicated people; Please prove me wrong.
Up 8 Down 5
motive uncleae on Mar 22, 2022 at 6:13 pm
Both eyes for an eye and for a tooth the whole face... or how does that go?
Up 7 Down 30
Nathan Living on Mar 22, 2022 at 6:06 pm
Is this a case of virtue signaling?
Infractions and bylaw fines could have brought compliance?
It seems heavy handed and may establish a new norm for bylaw and council overreach.
Up 34 Down 17
bonanzajoe on Mar 22, 2022 at 5:15 pm
In the last 3 days, I saw two of their cabs with front end damage so bad, no inspections officer would pass them even if they were private. From some of the cabs I've seen, I'm sure the companies selling used tires were making a fortune. And why did the government allow the cab companies in Whitehorse to be owned and operated by only a certain racial group. Where is the Critical Race Theory in this move?
Up 37 Down 1
Bandit on Mar 22, 2022 at 4:32 pm
Excellent News.
They have been operating for a very long time with junk on the road, for the most part very unprofessional drivers. it's about time to set the bar higher for these operations. Get in a Taxi at YVR or YYC or even in Mexico and the standards are much higher, WCC is going to have to find alternate transportation for the APU (Drunk Tank) releases because that is a (very lucrative) contract for Premier Cabs/Grizzly Cabs. Maybe the Drug trafficking/Sexual Assault allegations will slow down a bit as well???
Up 96 Down 3
Bernice smarch on Mar 22, 2022 at 3:20 pm
Absolutely rude drivers my daughter left stuff in a premier cab after shopping and we called them right back within 5 minutes the cab company said to us the driver said thanks for the case of pop. Really sad the way they treat us, so I’m beyond happy that they will no longer be driving.
Up 102 Down 3
Thankful on Mar 22, 2022 at 2:18 pm
About time. This was so overdue.
Up 62 Down 1
Thomas Brewer on Mar 22, 2022 at 2:08 pm
Good thing these companies will remain solvent due to their distribution business model. /sarcasm