The season of celebration is just around the corner, and whether you’ve had a few too many to drive home, or your DD didn’t plug his car in for the night, lots of folks will be calling for rides home this month.
If you’re calling a cab to get home this holiday season (and the rest of the year), *always* make sure your taxi is licensed with the City of Thompson.
Taxis licensed with the City of Thompson have requirements that keep you safe as a passenger. Every registered taxi has:
- A driver who has a clean criminal record and child abuse registry check;
- The name of the licensed taxi company prominently displayed on the vehicle. It must be a permanent decal or be painted on. It cannot be a magnet;
- A clearly marked number on the outside of the vehicle;
- Have a light on top of the vehicle that says “TAXI”, and be lit when in service;
- Have a strobe light on top of the vehicle, and a sticker indicating to call the RCMP if the strobe is flashing;
- A fare counter that’s clearly visible to both driver and passenger for the whole ride;
- Tamper-proof video cameras recording the interior of the taxi;
Every licensed taxi also has a very prominent public notice stuck below their passenger window like the one below:
Licensed taxis have also been issued valid provincial registrations, and are properly insured through Manitoba Public Insurance.
These tools help the City of Thompson and the RCMP investigate any complaints by drivers or passengers, and help establish clear price transparency among taxi drivers and their customers.
What about Operation Red Nose?
Operation Red Nose is another safe and regulated way to get a ride home over the holiday season. Operation Red Nose is approved through an agreement with the City every year, and every volunteer driver is required to undergo a successful criminal and child abuse registry check.
The Northerner 