Saint John cabbies plan to revive group to fight bylaw

Members of the Saint John taxi industry are taking action against aproposed taxi bylaw that would require taxis to have meters and place a seven-year age limit on vehicles.

They are looking to revive the Saint John Taxi Owners and Operators Association, which has been inactive for years.

Vet's Taxi driver Kevin Ramsay is one of the people helping to revive the association andsays the cab industry hasn't been properly consulted about the new bylaw.

"We're a big part of the industry where most of us are owner/operators," he said. "It's frustrating when policy is handed to you in an industry that you're in control of and when our customers have clearly spoken of what they want and what they need as well."

Ramsey says they're planning to meet to elect representatives for the association. In the meantime, Vet's taxis are circulating petitions to customers against meter system. Ramsey says other cab companies are joining in.

Coun.Gerry Lowe has been in the cab business for more than45 years and was active in the association when it first started in the early '80s. He says reviving it will create a united front.

"It's going to get them together and get them thinking and get them mobilized. There's a lot of these cab drivers, they have lots to say and they have a lot of good ideas."

Ramsay wants the association active when the city holds a public meeting about thebylaw meeting in the next 30 days.