Montreal's taxi cabs to get cameras, panic buttons, GPS trackers

Montreal's taxi drivers will soon have to install new security features in their vehicles such as GPS tracking devices, cameras and a panic button.

"It's for the security of the drivers and the security of the customers too," said Aref Salem, the city's executive committee member in charge of transport.

The city's executive committee adopted the rules Wednesday.

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre said the measures have proved successful in some American cities.

The panic button would allow drivers to alert police if they are attacked, while a GPS tracking device would let police know a taxi's exact location in the case of an emergency.

The city promised the new measures after a cab driver was shot to death in his car in 2013.

• Montreal taxi driver killed in Côte-des-Neiges
• Montreal taxi drivers call for safety improvements after killing

Since then, drivers have been pushing for more safety measures and are looking forward to the new features, according to Kamal Sabbah, vice-president of the Montreal Taxi Owners Association.

"The success of the taxis in Montreal [depends on] making them more secure – safer for the clients and for the drivers."

But Sabbah said there are still many unanswered questions, such as who will foot the bill.

"We agree on the idea. The only problem is who is going to pay for it?"

City officials did not say who will be paying for the new measures nor when they will be installed.

The new measures must first be approved by the city's agglomeration council before they can go into effect.