New provincial regulatory requirements intended to help curb high insurance costs are hampering the ability of local cab companies to hire drivers.
The owner and operator of Jiffy Cabs, Chris Hollett, says new regulations have resulted in a driver shortage. He often hears complaints from customers who are waiting for extended periods for a cab.
Hollett says many potential drivers move on to other job opportunities when they find out what they have to go through to be hired.
He says it takes almost two months to get a driver trained, something he calls “frustrating.” He says the required in-class instruction and roadside and written tests might not necessarily be the best way to go.
Hollett says the problem has only gotten worse as bars and restaurants open to greater capacity, creating even more demand “almost overnight.”