Taxi firms adopt zero-tolerance policy
Drivers caught acting violently or otherwise inappropriately to Indigenous passengers will be immediately fired, Winnipeg's two largest taxi companies have committed.
Unicity Taxi and Duffy's Taxi have spent the past two years pulling advice from an Indigenous-led committee. The zero-tolerance policy is one of several outcomes, according to members.
'My message for the Indigenous community is that we hear you, we respect you and we stand with you,' said Abhishek Tara, general manager of Unicity Taxi.
The industry has been plagued with headlines of scandal and poor relations for years.
Eric Robinson heard about incidents during his time in government. He was a New Democrat deputy premier and cabinet minister during the 2010s. He's aware of incidents where drivers directed sexual innuendos at Indigenous women and took cellphones from customers until a destination had been reached.
Nearly three years ago, Robinson connected with Unicity Taxi and Duffy's Taxi to improve the relationship between industry and Indigenous people. A committee was formed; Robinson sits as chair.
A dozen members meet monthly to brainstorm improvements. Most members are women, Robinson said. There's a member of the LGBTTQ+ community, management from both Duffy's and Unicity, and at least one Indigenous woman who's had a scarring taxi experience.
The group is now taking their work public.
On Saturday, at Red River Exhibition Park — on National Indigenous Peoples Day — Unicity and Duffy's will take the main stage to address their commitment to Indigenous people. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m.
'We want to make trust,' Tara said.
Much of the work revolves around public awareness, he continued. All 305 Unicity taxis, and upwards of 200 taxis at Duffy's, are equipped with cameras and microphones recording rides.
Customers can report bad experiences to the companies, Winnipeg police and the City of Winnipeg. The city's vehicles for hire department and police can download videos directly from taxis and investigate, if needed.
Duffy's and Unicity staff don't have access to the video footage. Ultimately, the city and police determine any warranted punishment: police cover criminal activity and the city tackles bylaw violations.
'There's no second chance,' Tara said, considering an employee who's found guilty of misbehaviour.
He oversees roughly 1,000 active drivers. He couldn't give a number of complaints that have passed his desk over the last two years; some are serious, some are not, he said. He didn't share any recent firings.
Unicity might learn of an incident via social media. It's better to contact authorities, Tara stressed.
Indigenous people make up one of Unicity's largest customer demographics, Tara said. His staff are required to take a day-long course on cultural competencies through the City of Winnipeg.
More cultural knowledge at the driver level is needed, Robinson said. He's also aiming for a government-funded taxi driver training program targeting Indigenous women.
The committee eyes initiatives both practical and achievable, Robinson said: 'We discuss that with a straight mind, without raising voices.'
Robinson tapped Coleen Rajotte, a filmmaker and journalist, to join the taxi committee around six weeks ago. She's been tasked with creating safety-related videos for social media. Both Unicity and Duffy's will share the reels online, Tara said.
'I hope, in a year … that our community will be safer,' Rajotte said.
She still prefers walking or carpooling — and leaving early if necessary — to taking a taxi. She recounted a taxi ride she and her husband took in Ottawa 13 years ago; the pair didn't know if they'd return to their hotel safely.
The duo tried to file a complaint, Rajotte said, but likely weren't taken seriously because they're Indigenous.
'(Unicity and Duffy's) are very firm and sincere in these meetings that I've been at that they're going to take all complaints seriously,' Rajotte said.
'Reconciliation comes when people from different backgrounds get together in a respectful, ethical space,' she added. 'I think that that's what this committee is doing.'
Robinson has given copies of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's calls to action to both Unicity and Duffy's Taxi and asked that the documents be made available to drivers, he said.
Neither the city nor the Winnipeg Police Service had data on how many complaints Indigenous people have filed against taxi companies in recent years.
'We encourage customers to call 911 for any matters involving violent or criminal behaviour in progress,' Adam Campbell, a City of Winnipeg communications officer, wrote in a statement.
After the fact, people can contact the police non-emergency line and the city. Bylaw violations — including sexual harassment, abuse and failure to release passengers from vehicles at the passenger's request — can lead to punishments ranging from warnings to full licence cancellations.
Dave Chief, an administrator of the '24/7 Safe Rides for Winnipeg and Surrounding Area' Facebook page — which has more than 11,500 members — said taxi service has 'greatly improved.'
'At least now (people) can call 311 and report any bad drivers,' Chief wrote in a Facebook message.
Case investigation and decision times depend on complexity, Campbell said.
Cameras in Winnipeg taxis became mandatory in 2018. Ride-hailing services such as Uber don't require cameras and microphones in vehicles.
gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com
Gabrielle PichéReporter
Gabrielle Piché reports on business for the Free Press. She interned at the Free Press and worked for its sister outlet, Canstar Community News, before entering the business beat in 2021. Read more about Gabrielle.
Every piece of reporting Gabrielle produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
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