What isn’t known is whether they had no work, or whether they concealed income from cab driving.
Driver representatives say it’s most likely a shortage of work is causing people to turn to welfare.
The city’s licensing office says it just doesn’t know.
“If someone takes a licence out, it doesn’t mean they’re working,” said licensing director Bruce Robertson.
“Once we issue a licence to a cab driver, we don’t have any records showing if they work, how much they work, where they work,” Robertson said. “We just give the ability and permission to drive cab in the city.”
The auditor general’s report is recommending the city’s social services division check whether clients have city licences in determining their eligibility for welfare.
A spokesperson for the division couldn’t be reached for comment.
There are more than 10,000 licensed drivers and 3,451 standard taxicabs, leading to complaints to the city about too many drivers.
It’s one of the issues listed in a discussion paper for a review of the taxicab industry now being conducted by the city.
“Some taxicab industry members commented that an oversupply of drivers has contributed to higher rental and lease rates, and that the number of taxicab drivers being licensed should be limited, such as by limiting the number of training classes offered,’ the discussion paper said.
The auditor’s report, to be discussed at next week’s audit committee meeting, said welfare caseworkers often refer or enroll clients in taxi driving courses.
The problem is the driver training isn’t related to actual demand for cabbies, said Sajid Mughal, president of the 900-member iTaxiworkers Association.
“The city keeps issuing licences when they are not needed,” Mughal said. “The city keeps pumping out drivers every single month. They may have the licence to drive but they don’t have the car to work.”
Original Article
Source: the star
Author: Paul Moloney
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