Have your say on the future of Winnipeg's taxi industry

What do you think of taxi services in Winnipeg? Manitoba's Taxicab Board wants to know, and it has set up an online survey you can fill out with suggestions for the industry.

The provincial government board is seeking public input on taxicab services in the city, which also include limousines and accessible taxis.

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Taxicab Board chairRandy Williams said the independent review of the taxicab industry was ordered last year by the previous NDP government.

It was not necessarily prompted by the increasing popularity of "transportation network companies" such as Uber and Lyft in other cities, he said.

"I don't think it's directly in response to Uber. There is a number of issues that have come out in the past few months and years, I guess, and there's always comments," he said Thursday.

Management consulting firm MNP, which has been hired to conduct the review, has set up anonline survey that people can fill out until Oct. 2.

The survey asks people what public transportation options they've used in the last five years including taxis and Uber and what top three changes they want to see in Winnipeg'staxicab industry.

MNP hasa separate survey for taxi drivers and taxicab company owners to complete.

Focus group meetings

The surveywebsitealso has guidelines for people who want to provide more detailed commentsin writing.

Williams said there will be focus group sessions with various stakeholders over the next six weeks, including Indigenous organizations, disability groups and the business sector.

"Anybody that uses taxicab services, we're going to try and get MNP to go to them and find out what they see as where we should be going with this business," he said.

Passenger safety has surfaced as anissue in recent years, with women and Indigenous Winnipeggers saying they have experiencedsexual harassment and verbal abusein taxis.

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At least two grassroots services were launched last year to offer safe rides to Indigenous women who do not feel comfortable taking taxis.