Vancouver taxi companies say woman's story highlights why more accessible cabs needed

A Vancouver woman who usesa wheelchair says she was let down by a cab company, but the taxi industrysaysher story demonstrates that more accessible cabs are needed.

Marlene White was out shopping in her power wheelchair in East Vancouverlast summer when she got a flat tire.

"It suddenly went poof!It kind ofpopped, and then it just very quickly deflated," she said.

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She says she phoned Vancouver Taxi for a ride,but the dispatcher told thatall the cabs were are on the other side of the city and it take be at least half an hour for any of them to get there.

White says the dispatcher then askedher if she hadtried another company, which she says left her feelingdismissed. So instead, shefound her own way homeon the flat.

"Fortunately for me there was a bus came boom right there," says White."And Ithought, oh I'll just flop, flop, flop, on it and Igot on."

The Vancouver Taxi Association admits the response could have been better. But it also saysthe incident points to the needfor more accessible cabs.

Last year the fourbig Vancouver taxi companies applied for 78 new licenses. The Passenger Transportation Board granted only 20 of them,saying the demand from the public wasn't there.

"We do need these taxis. We need them ASAP," said Carolyn Bauer with the Vancouver Taxi Association."There are long waits that these passengers are waiting."

The Passenger Transportation Board says it'sreconsidering the application.

And in a report to City Hall this week, city staff recommended that council support the association's request for more accessible cabs.

It's not clear when the board will make its final decision on the licenses.

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