The city is putting out a warning to residents to be careful when hailing a cab during the holiday season as a surge of illegal cabs appear to be in operation.
The city says illegal or "bandit" taxis operate without a licence, and are often uninsured, unsafe, and the drivers have not been screened by the city officials.
"The problem is we have no idea who these people are, if they are qualified to drive, or how well they maintain their vehicles. They also don't have the proper insurance, which means no one in the car would be covered if there was an accident," said the city's chief livery officer Phil Fearon.
As part of the taxi licensing process, taxi drivers must submit a driver abstract and police information check annually. The city also says drivers must also prove that they have taken professional driving classes and will be working for a legitimate taxi company.
Legal taxis must also get regular mechanical inspections, regular fare meter inspections, and they must be properly insured.
According to the city, licensed taxis in Edmonton are easy to recognize because they possess the following:
- A front licence plate that says "Edmonton Taxi," followed by a four digit number starting with "A-."
- A City of Edmonton driver's licence - complete with a photo of the driver -visible inside the vehicle.
- A fare meter visible inside the car, which the driver activates after you get inside.
- A company name and phone number on the door and a roof light on top.
Edmontonians are being advised that if any of the features are not visible, do not get inside the vehicle.
To date, the city has issued 210 tickets to unlicensed taxis, limousine and shuttles, each carrying at least a $1,000 fine.
