Blueline driver in alleged taxi vs. Uber video on voluntary leave

An Ottawa Blueline taxi driver is now on voluntary leave after he was caught threatening and swearing at someone believed to be an Uber driver and a passenger in a video widely circulated online, his dispatcher Coventry Connections says.

Coventry said it is co-operating with police and city officialsand the driver will remain on leave until a "review can be completed by all parties and after full assessment of the authorities."

• Jim Watson 'disgusted' by taxi vs. Uber video
• Ottawa police investigate alleged taxi vs. Uber video

The video, believed to have been recorded around 1:30 a.m. Saturdayoutside the Chateau Laurier, claims to show an Ottawa taxi driver threatening an Uber driver and passenger.

Amrik Singh, who heads the union for Ottawa's taxi drivers, confirmed Monday the man shouting threats in the video is a Bluelinedriver. Ottawa police launched an investigation over the weekend after a third-party complaint but said it cannot confirm an Uber driver and passenger were the ones threatened because neither has come forward.

The video, whichappears to have been taken from inside a vehicle,shows a man shouting at the driver.

WARNING: The video below contains profane language.

Taxi driver allegedly threatens Uber driver

9 years ago

Duration 0:52

A video circulating online claims to show an Ottawa taxi driver threatening an Uber driver and passenger. CBC News has blurred the faces of the people in the video. WARNING: video contains profanity.

"If I see you again, you're dead meat. Go follow the law and get a real job. I'm not joking with you," the man tells the driver before holding open the backdoor and shouting at the passenger.

"Take a real taxi you f---ing cheapskate," he said.Both sides threaten to call police in the profane exchange recorded for one minute and 21 seconds.

'Be careful,' taxi drivers told

Bluelinedrivers had been warned by Coventry"to be careful and to avoid violence" in relation toUberdrivers days before the video surfaced online.

"We cannot allow a company likeUberto work illegally. However, we cannot take the law into our own hands," said a memo toBluelinetaxi drivers dated Sept. 8.

"If you see anUbervehicle picking up customers, please do not approach that customer of that driver. We have to continue taking a professional stance."

On Sunday, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said he was "disgusted" by the video. He also saidhe asked citystaff to try to identify the man in the video and to find out if the city has"the legal ability to remove his licence," if he turned out to be a taxi driver.

This summer, Watson compared agroup of taxi drivers to thugs after they went undercover asUberpassengers and posted vigilante-style videos of the rides online.

The drivers said they were trying tocollect evidence against Uber drivers, whooperate without therequiredlicence.