'It's got to stop, it's that simple': Windsor cab drivers warn of unregulated operators

Bluetooth earpieces, security cameras, and a direct line to 311 are some of the elements that define a legitimate taxi experience in Windsor.

However, Unifor Local 195, representing cab drivers in the city, says it’s time to address unregulated operators providing transportation without oversight.

For 35-year veteran cab driver Kripal Dehal, the rise in unregulated operators has made it increasingly difficult to earn a living. "Private rides at train stations, airports, cash trips. We go down to any cab stand, and you’ll see private cars just lined up, pretending they’re cabs."

Drivers now compete with individuals using social media to advertise rides at cut-rate prices. One person offers $10 rides within the city, while another promotes daily trips from Windsor to Toronto for $45 per person.

Vets Cab General Manager Walter Bezzina (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

"If I was to try and open a restaurant tomorrow without fire marshal's approval, Board of Health approvals, and the proper permits, they’d put a lock on the door in a minute," joked Vets Cab General Manager Walter Bezzina.

Beyond fairness, Vet’s Cab argues these unregulated services pose a significant safety risk to passengers. "We have cameras in our cars. We get a vulnerable sector police check. These others? They’re just private cars driving people around. Who knows if they have insurance."

On top of required vehicle inspections, cabs need a $110 taxi license to operate in Windsor. This is in a market where drivers already compete with legitimate rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft.

Information and markings posted inside of a Windsor cab (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

"When you’ve got these bandit operators out there not paying their toll and basically stealing the business,” said Bezzina. “It’s got to stop. It’s that simple."