HRM suspends drunk taxi drivers
Posted Dec 7, 2011 11:42:14 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The man who hands out licenses to Halifax’s taxi drivers is stopping short of saying there needs to be harsher penalties for cabbies who are caught driving drunk while on the job.
Kevin Hendle, regional coordinator of Halifax Regional Municipality’s taxi and limousine licensing, says the two taxi drivers charged with impaired driving last month have had their taxi licenses suspended.
“Drivers are entrusted with their licenses to go out and service the public in a safe and professional manner,” Hendle told News 95.7 Wednesday. “In cases where that safety has been abused, that entrusted authority has been abused under the law, those are very serious situations.”
Once the two separate cases have worked their way through the court system, Hendle said his office will review whether the licensing suspension will be made permanent.
Halifax Regional Police charged 67 people with impaired driving in November, two of whom where taxi drivers and who had fares at the time.
But Hendle said he disagrees with harsher penalties for professional drivers who are charged with impaired driving.
He points to the Motor Vehicle Act which has recently been amended to reflect a zero tolerance.
“They do suffer a harsher consequence because it could directly affect their livelihood,” he said. “In this particular situation where a person may depend on driving totally for their livelihood, not only have they lost their ability to drive a vehicle but they’ve probably lost their ability to make income for their family.”
A member of the Halifax Taxi Drivers Owners Association said there should be stricter penalties for taxi drivers caught under the influence of alcohol.
“Oh, most definitely,” said Doug Brine. “We’re not delivering parcels or envelopes. We’re delivering people.”
Brine points to systemic problems in the taxi industry in Halifax which he says also need to be addressed, such as long hours, wages and out of date by-laws.
“Our drivers are not being checked properly,” he said. “We have drivers out there driving with no taxi license. It’s not just the drinking.”
