Taxi shield deal reached in Winnipeg

A deal that will keep cabs onWinnipeg roads for the foreseeable future has been reached.

The provincial government said Tuesday the city's two largest cab companies and the maker of driver safety shields had come to an arrangement that will ensure there will be no stoppage in service.

On Monday, officials for Unicity Taxi and Duffy's Taxi said they were being forced to pull their 400 cabs off the road at the end of the day due to a dispute involving their companies, the Taxicab Board and Custom Plastic Creations, the company developing protective shields for the vehicles.

'This agreement addresses the needs of the manufacturer and the concerns of the industry, while meeting the safety requirements of the Taxicab Board.' Manitoba government statement

The companies had until then to show they'd paid for the full safety shields that have become mandatory for all cabs in Winnipeg. Provincial transportation Minister Steve Ashton stepped in late Monday nightto prevent the cabs from halting as the three sides continued talking.

A Tuesday eveningpress release from a government spokeswoman stated the taxi companies and the shield manufacturer had reached "an arrangement."

"The industry and safety shield manufacturer have settled on payment terms. Details of the agreement are not being released for commercial confidentiality reasons," the statement said.

"This agreement addresses the needs of the manufacturer and the concerns of the industry, while meeting the safety requirements of the Taxicab Board.

"There will be no disruption of taxi service," the statement said.