Seventy five per cent of taxis inspected this week failed safety inspections for everything from bald tires to worn out brakes, Manitoba's Taxicab Board said Friday.
Taxicab Board Director Joan Wilson says 40 cabs were inspected from Winnipeg's two largest companies – Unicity and Duffy's Taxi -- and 30 didn't pass.
"That would be a problem," said taxi customer Mike Colonna. "I won't be using Duffy's or Unicity anymore."
When asked about the failed inspections, Duffy's Taxi declined to sit down for an interview. However, Manager Mike Klymenko said over the phone that he hasn't pulled any cars off the road and he doesn't know how many of his cars failed inspection.
Unicity Taxi flatly denied that its cars are unsafe. It will ignore the Taxicab Board by continuing to dispatch all its cars.
"Well that's very concerning," said one customer exiting a cab. "I'm surprised they're even allowed to be on the road."
Technically, they aren't.
If still on the road, cabs with failed safety inspections are no longer insured by Manitoba Public Insurance. MPI says passengers will still be covered in the event of an accident, but not damage to the vehicle.
The Taxicab Board admits there are no repercussions for cab companies knowingly dispatching failed cabs because, ultimately, the taxi driver is responsible to fix the car. But the board says if drivers don't willingly comply it will try to make them.
"Plates will be removed," said Joan Wilson. "And the taxi business license could be in jeopardy."
-With a report from CTV's Laura Lowe
