Should a driver with three at-fault collisions in the past five years be allowed to get behind the wheel of an Abbotsford taxi?

That is just one of the questions which arose during a council meeting on Monday night, as civic politicians debated the merits of the city’s proposed new taxi driver regulation bylaw.

The bylaw was ultimately approved, meaning taxi drivers in Abbotsford will now be governed by official rules for the first time.

However, Coun. Bill MacGregor said the measures do not go far enough.

“I want to vehemently oppose this,” he said.

Key to MacGregor’s argument were areas of the bylaw stating that a chauffeur permit should not be handed to anyone with more than three collisions in the past five years, for which he/she was deemed to be responsible.

He also disagreed that someone with up to two prohibitions against driving could still be handed the documentation needed to drive a cab.

All driving permits will be handed out by the Abbotsford Police chief constable.

It was that point which prompted other councillors to support the bylaw.

Coun. John Smith also said there was nothing stopping the city from tightening the rules in the future, adding that the proposed changes were instigated seven years ago by the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Abbotsford.

At that time, those agencies complained there were no regulations in place to stop bad drivers from running taxis.

Smith was joined in his support for the bylaw by Mayor George Peary and councillors Moe Gill and Les Barkman. MacGregor voted against. The remaining councillors were not at the meeting.