Cab owners were given some slack by city council Feb. 28.

ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 when councillors voted to allow cabs to be as old as 15 years before being taken off the road, up from nine.

The change came after Walid Mohamed pleaded his case in a letter to council. He said the pandemic had put more pressure on cabbies and that it was too onerous to expect them to sell a vehicle after nine years and replace it. He said the price of quality used vehicles had shot up in the last two years.

SA国际影视传媒淥verall, this is a very bad time to try replace a vehicle in a struggling marketplace,SA国际影视传媒� he wrote.

According to Sheila Bassi-Kellett, city manager, this change is an interim step as a more in depth review of the livery bylaw, which regulates taxi companies, will occur.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need to take a look at it from a number of angles,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e were looking at the meters themselves, and we need to do some work to make sure that weSA国际影视传媒檙e updating comprehensively.SA国际影视传媒�

During the Feb. 28 meeting, the decision to support an increase maximum cab usage from nine to 15 years was voiced by a number of councillors, including Cynthia Mufandaedza, Niels Konge, and Robin Williams, with Mufandaedza having brought the motion forward.

SA国际影视传媒淲e do know that 10 years is not enough for people to be able to replenish their vehicles,SA国际影视传媒� said Mufandaedza. SA国际影视传媒淪o hoping that we could get an extension and just give us enough time. We have seen this, town of Inuvik, extend from 10 years to 15 citing the difficulties or the hardships of vehicles getting into Inuvik and ISA国际影视传媒檓 just hoping that we would adapt the same way.SA国际影视传媒�

Likewise, while Konge also supported the increase the age limit, he took it a step further in saying that he also wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be opposed to there not being any age limit.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think that with the robust program that we have in place, where vehicles after the age of six basically need a mechanical inspection every six months to be a taxi, I think that that keeps the vehicle safe,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 what it should all be about.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e seen some vehicles that are two and three years old are not safe to be on the road,SA国际影视传媒� he continued. SA国际影视传媒淪o itSA国际影视传媒檚 really about how you maintain them. So yeah, I support the 15 years and, hopefully, when the livery bylaw gets a revamp, we can look at not having any age restrictions on it, and just go straight up with the safety aspect.SA国际影视传媒�

In terms of those who didnSA国际影视传媒檛 agree with the extension, Coun. Shauna Morgan voiced that she prefer to wait until the research results came back from administration on the livery license bylaw.

SA国际影视传媒淚 prefer to wait until we get the research results back from the administration on the overall of livery license bylaw before we make this dramatic extension,SA国际影视传媒� said Morgan. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e going from nine years, and so the proposal would be to 15. So thatSA国际影视传媒檚 pretty significant. I would just want to ensure before we did, that administration did their due diligence and research.SA国际影视传媒�

Stacie Smith agreed with Morgan, citing her reasons as not wanting to SA国际影视传媒渏ump the gunSA国际影视传媒� before more research was available.

SA国际影视传媒淣oting that if and when this research comes forward, we can definitely change at that point,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut I would prefer just to keep it at the 10 year mark for now.SA国际影视传媒�

Mayor Rebecca Alty also supported the extension.

The motion carried after a vote of five to two with Couns. Morgan and Smith opposed.