Rising cabbie anger over lost income to unregulated, and cheaper, UberX drivers could potentially explode during the Pan Am Games, taxi industry representatives warned Thursday.

They were at city hall to voice growing frustration with Mayor John Tory (open John Tory's policard) and Toronto police for allowing the unregulated “bandit cabs” to operate in the city. They said the UberX service is “killing” the taxi industry.

UberX uses a cell phone app to connect private car owners with paying passengers.

Sam Moini, a taxi fleet operator, said drivers are reporting their earnings have decreased by 40 to 50 per cent – which they blame on competition from UberX. “The taxi industry is on its last legs and if UberX is continued the taxi industry will be destroyed,” he said.

“We don’t want what happened in France to happen here, that’s absolutely the last thing that we want, but when people feel like they have nothing left to lose, they become dangerous, and we don’t want that to happen here in Toronto.”

Last week, thousands of French taxi drivers blocked roads to airports and train stations in Paris as part of a nationwide protest against Uber. Reuters reported protesters burned tires and turned over cars on major streets, prompting riot police, at one point, to intervene with tear gas, according to the wire service.

Sajid Moghul, head of iTaxi Workers, insisted protests similar to what happened in France is “not what we want.”

But if trouble should erupt during the Pan Am Games it will be Tory and Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders who share the blame for allowing UberX to operate without regulation and licensing fees, Moghul said.

“Everybody should wake up…the drivers are suffering.”

The mayor’s office released a statement Thursday afternoon.

“The Mayor is sympathetic to the struggle drivers are facing -- but we reiterate the best solution is to come to the table and move this industry forward,” the statement said. “Strong-arm tactics and veiled threats will not accomplish anything.”

Councillor Jim Karygiannis (open Jim Karygiannis's policard), who rented the city hall committee room for Thursday’s news conference, said while he supports the taxi drivers in their fight against Uber, he is “not supportive of civil disobedience.”

He is tabling a motion at next week’s council meeting asking city staff to study the impact that Uber’s new car-pooling app will have on TTC ridership.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

The City of Toronto is seeking a permanent injunction to shut down all of Uber’s operations here. A judge reserved his decision after a two-day court hearing last month.

Insurance officials have warned UberX drivers that they need commercial policies. Uber says it has a $5-million policy with AIG Canada to handle additional damages not covered by personal policies.

Read more about: