Winnipeg taxi, ride-hailing, limo drivers could face fines for harassing or intimidating passengers

Anyone who drives a vehicle for hire in Winnipeg — including ride-hailing, taxi or limo drivers — could be subject to hundreds of dollars in fines if they act inappropriately, under proposed bylaw changes.

The city's public service is recommending changes to the vehicles-for-hire bylaw, including a $250 fine for sexually harassing, insulting, abusing, or threatening a passenger.

Drivers could also face a $250 fine for asking for a tip or insinuating one is required, not letting the passenger out when they ask, failing to give a receipt, or demanding cash over a card payment.

There's also a suggested $500 fine for a driver who uses their electronic device while driving.

All fines would be cut in half if the offender pays early.

"Those interactions often lead to an escalation and that can lead to violence, so it's not good for either party," said Grant Heather, the city's vehicles-for-hire manager.

"If we can catch those at the complaint level and correct the behaviour of the driver, hopefully they'll never do it again."

The intent is for the fines to act as a deterrent, he said. 

"Hopefully … the fine translates to, 'I'm not going to do it again.'"

The changes are outlined in a report set to go to the city's public works department next Tuesday.

One reason the fines are needed, according to the report, is that some interactions are reported to police with no further action after that, for a variety of reasons — including the possibility that what happened may not have technically been illegal.

The report states that may not change the fact that something happened that shouldn't have, "and the overall safety of passengers and other participants needs to be considered."

The proposed bylaw changes don't remove the possibility of other fines or police involvement.

Heather said if anyone has a complaint about an experience in a limo, taxi or ride-hailing vehicle, they should call 311 to report it. Viable complaints will be investigated by the city's team and could result in a fine to the driver.

Accountability needed, says safe ride advocate

Christine Brouzes said she's excited to learn about the possible fines.

The co-director of Ikwe Safe Rides — a volunteer group that offers transportation for women — has been working for years with the city to make vehicles for hire safer.

COVID-19 once again forced her to temporarily shut down the public ride request page on Thursday, so she's worried about how some vulnerable people will get around.

"We commonly hear that women are asked in taxis, 'Do you want to pay another way?'" said Brouzes, insinuating the ask for a sexual favour.

"That is not illegal to say to a passenger. It is creepy and it is scary and it is not appropriate," she said.

"If a taxi driver is going to be inappropriate but not cross the line to being illegal, there was nothing previous to this potential fining system that would hold them accountable."

Brouzes said fines might also prevent drivers from taking advantage of people who aren't familiar with the city's rules for hired vehicles. She's heard of drivers asking passengers from northern Manitoba to pay cash if they're going to certain hotels.

"To hear that they can be fined when that happens, that's just fabulous," she said.

City council would still have to approve the suggested fines before they come into effect, but the taxi industry is already raising concerns.

"Sometimes the driver is not responsible for the incident," said Manmohan Gill, a manager at Unicity Taxi. "Some incidents don't get recorded on camera if it happens outside the cab. So how can the driver explain himself?"

Gill said if there are complaints, he hopes the city gives consideration to the driver's account as well as the passenger's. He hopes to see a warning system instead of an immediate fine.

He acknowledged drivers have acted inappropriately in the past, but pointed out the majority of trips go well.

Between January and September 2021, drivers completed 2,921,759 trips, according to the city report. In that time, the city received 61 complaints through 311. More than half were related to driver conduct.

"There are some bad apples that are ruining a company's image, but everybody is not bad. It all depends on the situation," said Gill.

The fines are just one tool the city is hoping will deter bad behaviour by drivers.

Staff have put together a "refresher" course on professionalism, including cultural training and lessons on what is appropriate to discuss with passengers.

It was supposed to be offered earlier, but was derailed by the pandemic. Staff expect it to roll out sometime this year.