Drivers say higher costs are forcing accessible taxis off the road
Less than half the city's 31 accessible taxi licences are currently in use
London taxi driver Gamal Tabidi has operated an accessible taxi for 18 years and loves every minute of his job.
"I feel that I'm making a difference, I know the customers by name," he said. "I pick up a passenger from the hospital, and I can take them home without asking their address. There's a lot of satisfaction in that."
And while he loves what he does — it isn't always an easy road, particularly when it comes to squeezing a living out of his specially equipped Dodge Caravan.
Like most London cabbies, Tabidi is an owner-operator. He operates under the Green Taxi name which has seven accessible taxis, the most of any company in the city, he said. It's an alliance that helps him share insurance and dispatch costs, but he owns the cab and is responsible for all expenses that go with it, from gas to maintenance to insurance.
Tabidi and a handful of other London drivers who operate accessible taxis approached city council last week asking for help. They say recent increases in the cost to buy, convert, insure and maintain their vehicles has many drivers steering clear of driving accessible cabs.
'We need to catch up'
It's become so bad, Tabidi and others say there are not enough accessible cabs on the road to meet the needs of a growing city.
According to city staff there are 15 accessible vehicles currently in operation in London, which is less than half of the 31 licences available.
Tabidi said the situation has become so dire, Londoners who use wheelchairs are missing medical appointments and flights because there often aren't enough cabs to handle the calls.
"It's ridiculous, the difference between the population and the number of accessible taxis in the city," said Tabidi. "We need to catch up."
Drivers say rising costs unique to accessible cabs are keeping down the number of drivers.
WATCH | Gamal Tabidi explains why he loves to drive an accessible cab:
A huge barrier for drivers is the cost of buying a suitable used van and equipping it with a deployable ramp. Used vehicle prices are way up in recent years, creating a huge entry barrier for new drivers and a big cut in the margins of existing drivers.
Buying a new vehicle and converting it can now be a six-figure proposition.
Green Taxi president Khalil Al Tarhuni ordered a new Toyota Sienna from a local dealership back in May 2022. His plan is to covert the van into a wheelchair-accessible taxi. It's a process that would typically cost about $15,000 a few years ago, but with inflation can now run up to $25,000 for some vehicles.
Now 18 months after ordering his new van, Al Tarhuni still has no update on when it might arrive. He's been told the delay is part of supply chain issues affecting the entire auto industry.
"They can't give me a delivery date," he said.
The purchase price, conversion cost and higher financing rates mean Al Tarhuni faces an outlay of about $130,000 before his new van is ready to pick up its first passenger.
Al Tarhuni, Tabidi and other drivers say these and other extra costs are a big reason why many drivers are opting to operate a regular cab instead of an accessible vehicle. Accessible cabs usually charge the same rate as regular taxis, but Al Tarhuni estimates they cost almost twice as much to buy and operate, he said.
"I used to train drivers for accessible cabs, but I haven't trained one for a long time," said Tabidi. "It's just too much investment, too much money for people to put in to get started," he said.
These challenges to private taxis are happening at a time when London Transit's Paratransit service is also struggling to meet customer demand.
LISTEN | Rising vehicle prices and other expenses are forcing London cabs off the road:
City looking at changes
London city staff and councillors are aware of the problem. They met with drivers in the spring and last week city council's Community and Protective Services Committee approved a plan to waive licensing fees for all accessible taxi vehicles next year, thanks in part to a $40,000 accessibility grant from the province.
The city will also use the money to help cover the cost of training drivers to operate accessible cabs.
At the same committee meeting, councillors voted to expand the allowable age of accessible cabs on the road to 12 years, up from the previous 10. Staff will also look possibly extending that to 15 years, all part of an effort to give drivers more options to buy vehicles.
"That's a very good step in the right direction," said Gamal about the changes, which will next go to council for final approval. "But we're still far from doing everything that can help."
Gamal and Al Tarhuni want the city to look at other ways to underwrite the cost of buying and converting vans for accessible service. Without more help, they say the number of accessible cabs on the road will decline.
Meanwhile London passengers like Susie Matthias hope cabbies and the city can continue working together to boost the number of accessible cabs in service. She calls for a private accessible cab a few times a week and said she sometimes has to wait for rides.
"We need more like Gamal," she said.
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