Cab cluster endangers public at Eireann Quay

‘Basically, the area has become too crowded by taxi jockeys trying to service the airport’

By Boris Broz —

would like to bring to your attention the untenable situation on Eireann Quay.
Specifically, the ridiculous and dangerous situation of taxi cabs overcrowding Eireann Quay hoping to service the Island Airport.

Basically, the area has become too crowded by taxi jockeys trying to service the airport. I counted over 50 taxis at one point on a recent evening  below or very near Queen’s Quay and Bathurst. My understanding is that around and in excess of 35 cabs the TPA and Porter are violating the promise made to the city about the maximum number of cabs allowed below Lower Bathurst in servicing the airport.

There were approximately 20 cabs illegally parked, standing, idling and in particular one cabby squatting on and near the school playground on the east side of Bathurst. I kindly told him to move and made him aware that City property was not an appropriate place to park illegally hoping to catch a fare.

Both Porter and the TPA are not encouraging the transit plan they agreed to implement before city council. The Porter buses are primarily empty and it is a rare sight to see a TTC passenger actually disembark and head to the airport.

Clearly the need is there for greater enforcement of the fire route, no parking, no standing and idling bylaws. On top of that, safety has become at important issue as I’ve witnessed cabs speed through the intersection hoping to miss the red light to jump into the queuing lanes.

This is a dangerous practice and the city needs to review the excessive speed at times on this section of road. Enforcement is one thing; lowering the speed limit to 20km/hour and installing traffic calming speed bumps is needed to ensure pedestrian safety in the area.

With Porter stating that roughly 500,000 passengers are using the airport currently with plans to go to over 1 million passengers, clearly action is needed immediately on the matter. Are we going to have cabs backed up to Front Street once we hit a million passengers?