In Paris, they lit a car on fire.
In Toronto, they blocked traffic.
And in Kitchener, while they came in numbers, they didn’t cause much of a ruckus at all.
Hundreds of taxi drivers and supporters showed up outside the Region of Waterloo administrative building Wednesday afternoon to voice their support for each other, and their opposition to Uber.
“We never thought, never imagined that we would be standing in this type of setting, fighting for our livelihoods,” Brian Mann, president of the Waterloo Region Taxi Alliance, told the crowd.
“(Uber is an) illegal taxi service, and it should be shut down immediately.”
None of the drivers present at the rally were willing to speak with CTV News.
Uber abruptly launched its service in Waterloo Region in late July.
The move drew scorn from some local politicians, who believed that the region had been working with Uber and was not expecting the app-based service to hold a local launch when it did.
Since then, the region has come out with a proposed set of which under which Uber drivers would be regulated.
The proposal calls for Uber drivers to keep cameras and identification in their cars, and maintain $2-million liability insurance policies.
They’ll also have to undergo background checks – something one local Uber driver said already happens.
“I feel safe here,” said the driver, who did not want to be identified.
“So far, I don’t feel any danger and I don’t think there will be something.”
The taxi alliance, Uber and members of the public will have a chance to weigh in on the new licensing bylaw before it is approved.
