The arrival of Uber in Brampton has shaken up the local Taxi industry. In this episode of Brampton Focus, City Councillor Gurpreet Dhillion (Ward 9/10), Uber’s Chris Schafer, and Marcel Wieder from Peel Taxi Alliance discuss their view of ride sharing.
Competition is certainly breeding innovation when it comes to the Taxi industry. The industry has long been accused of being its own worst enemy by enabling and perpetuating the archaic system of city issued taxi licenses. This feudal system has stifled innovation in local transportation alternatives. Â Municipalities have ignored or facilitated the continuation of the practice… until Uber showed up.
Marcel Wieder has acknowledged the competition, indicating that several firms have initiated internal reviews in an “effort to recognize the concerns of passengers and bring a higher standard of service in the industry” with several recommendations put forward for consideration. It is a good first step, but why were passenger concerns not addressed prior to Uber driving onto the scene?
Municipal politicians and bureaucrats across the GTA have their hands full juggling Uber’s aggressive and innovative business model while placating an industry that they helped perpetuate. The big question that remains is how passengers of both Taxi’s and Uber vehicles will respond. Their voice so far has been relatively quiet.
