A new report by Ryerson’s Urban Analytics Institute has concluded that existing vehicle-for-hire regulations that govern cab companies, Uber and Lyft, aren’t meeting some of Toronto’s most important planning goals, including mitigating traffic congestion and reducing tailpipe emissions.The report also cites numerous discrepancies in regulations between cab companies and Private Transportation Companies (PTCs) including Uber and Lyft, and recommends levelling the playing field.“Regulations must be streamlined to improve the well-being of drivers, operators, owners, and, more importantly, passengers,” according to the report, titled Regulating Vehicles-for-Hire in Toronto.The report points out that based on a recently released analysis by the City of Toronto, PTCs are responsible for a significant increase in vehicular traffic in Toronto, adding millions of additional trips per year, predominantly in the downtown.“The analysis by the City of Toronto revealed that PTC vehicles were making on average 176,000 trips every day in Toronto,” according to the Ryerson report.It also pointed out that while the number of cabs in Toronto is restricted to about 5,000, the estimated number of PTC licenses issued is 70,000, although not all of those are active.Read more:Mandatory driver training recommended for Toronto ride-hailing servicesToronto accused of backpedalling on 10-year cycling planTTC hits pause on relief line work amid provincial transit plansThe report estimated that the increase in PTC trips is likely to have shifted more than 30 million annual trips from public transit, likely resulting in a loss of revenue for the transit authority.It also pointed out differences in regulation between taxicabs and PTCs, which the report says have significant implications for safety: cab drivers must have three years of driving experience while PTC drivers only need one.The report also points out that under existing regulations, PTC dri ...
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