Saint John Taxi Association will lobby new council to change bylaw

Even as Saint John cabbieslined up for hours on Monday in arush to have their newly installed meters inspected, the head of an industry association says his groupwill lobbycity council to change its bylaw.

The new bylaw,which requires meters and newer vehicles,goes into effect on June 1.

Kevin Ramsay, the vice presidentof the Saint John Taxi Ownersand Operators Association, said his group is putting together a proposal to take to the city's new mayor and council.

"We're still working on it," said Ramsay.

"There will be something in the next couple of days."

Ramsay suggested people in his industry may even lobby the new city council to have the meters removed "never say never," he said.

The inspection by a city police sergeant includes a road test to ensure thetaxi meter is properly calibrated.

Cabbies claim the meter rate is too high for medium and longer trips which willdrive patrons away.

Speaking to reporters after Mondaynight's council meeting, Saint JohnMayorDon Darling said he would not support a reversal of the previous council's decision mandating the installation and use of meters in all taxis.

"I have no plan to get myself in the middle of changing something that's been years in the making," said Darling.

"But we're certainly going to continue to listen to people and their concerns."

Darling saidthe city's Taxicab Advisory Committee provides a mechanism by which anyone can bring concerns forward.

The meter rate cannot be changed without an amendment to the taxi bylaw.

But the rates recommended by the committee and approved by the previous city council were not "pulled out of the air," said Darling.

"There was a significant amount of study done. These rates were arrived at by consulting,studying, and looking at other jurisdictions that are a similar size to Saint John," said Darling.

Should council choose to change the meter ratesthe process, under normal circumstances, itwould take two to three months