No cash, no service SA国际影视传媒� thatSA国际影视传媒檚 the new rule being put in effect by IqaluitSA国际影视传媒檚 taxi companies come July 15.

ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 due to the high number of customers not paying for their taxi rides. Caribou Tuktu Cabs drivers, along with the handful of small independent companies, will now charge the $7 fare in advance.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 already in the bylaw,SA国际影视传媒� said Philippe Le Lann, who owns Prime One Taxi and is one of the four smaller companies.

The move is supported by the City of IqaluitSA国际影视传媒檚 Bylaw 590, the Taxi Bylaw, which states, SA国际影视传媒淭he taxi driver may request the passenger to pay the fare in advance.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 gotten out of control,SA国际影视传媒� said Caribou CabSA国际影视传媒檚 owner Danny Savard.

In Whitehorse, he says, where the rides are metered, drivers ask for a $30 deposit in advance.

Long-time driver Nasser Haymour says new drivers can lose up to $70 a day.

SA国际影视传媒淔or the veterans, they start to know who the offenders are, so they lose on average maybe $30 a day,SA国际影视传媒� said Haymour.

Savard says race often figures into the equation, as well.

SA国际影视传媒淭he black drivers get it 20 times worse than the ones that are white,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淎 customer took a driver for three rides. Three stops. She got out and she said, SA国际影视传媒業 asked for a white driver. ISA国际影视传媒檓 not paying you.'SA国际影视传媒�

Savard and Haymour say thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not unusual. These taxi drivers are also accused of being in Iqaluit to steal money, steal women, deal drugs and bootleg alcohol.

While there may occasionally be a bad apple, Savard says Caribou Cabs is attempting to clean the business up on their end.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey get caught. A few left town. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e never coming back,SA国际影视传媒� said Haymour.

As for the ride-and-dash situation, itSA国际影视传媒檚 worse at night, and during the day youth are more often the culprits.

SA国际影视传媒淒uring the day the biggest suspects are young kids. MumSA国际影视传媒檚 going to pay at home. They get out a couple of doors down, go out the back, and disappear,SA国际影视传媒� said Haymour.

The new dispatch system recently installed, which includes a tablet in every Caribou Cab car, also has a video and sound recording system. That move, said Savard, is helping resolve disagreements between customers and drivers.

And it will help with oversight to ensure drivers are paid.

SA国际影视传媒淲e can make arrangements if people call dispatch. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e going to allow this at the beginning, see if it works. If they call dispatch and make arrangements, someone will pay at the other end, and if it works weSA国际影视传媒檒l continue to give the service to that address,SA国际影视传媒� said Savard.

SA国际影视传媒淚f we donSA国际影视传媒檛 get paid at that address, we have a digital system, weSA国际影视传媒檒l lock it (the address) until we get paid. We are not going to send service until you pay X amount in fare.SA国际影视传媒�

Haymour understands most parents donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to give the kids the money.

SA国际影视传媒淎s long as the parent calls. Because, a lot of times, the kids have been told they can rip off taxi drivers. They can get away with it because theySA国际影视传媒檙e kids,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Savard realizes the new rule may be met with push back at the beginning.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 why I waited for the tablets that are recording. WeSA国际影视传媒檒l have footage that protects the driver. People are looking for ways not to pay. Any reason whatsoever. You smell bad, you drive too fast, you drive to slow, you skipped a stop sign,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淎ltercations with the driver to push them (the drivers), then the fury on Facebook. ISA国际影视传媒檝e been checking the footage, and itSA国际影视传媒檚 not all what they (the customers) say.SA国际影视传媒�

Drivers can face intimidation, threats and violence.

For immigrant taxi drivers, this can prove especially difficult.

SA国际影视传媒淚t depends on the country they come from. Some countries, if you say the wrong word, youSA国际影视传媒檙e condemned. There are no human rights there,SA国际影视传媒� said Haymour.

SA国际影视传媒淪o if someone threatens them, they think itSA国际影视传媒檚 the end of the world, like back home.SA国际影视传媒�

Savard says the number of complaints against drivers have lessened since the tablets were installed.

Valid complaints, supported by video footage, amounts to an estimated 50 per cent.

But now that drivers are aware that they are also being recorded, he expects that number to drop, as well.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e tightening up the screws all the way around in the industry,SA国际影视传媒� said Savard.