Sudbury cabbies keep digital eye on fares

A Sudbury taxi company is installing cameras in its cabs to make them safer. The owners hope the cameras will prevent robberies like the one it experienced over the weekend.

The small digital camera, located just above the rear-view mirror, can record everything inside the taxi. Flip it around and it can record out the front window, which could come in handy if there is a collision.

Kyle Flinn, whose family owns Lockerby Taxi, said cab-cams are a province-wide trend.

He said customers and drivers feel safer and, "if we need to use it for robberies or anything, we can actually just download (the video) and we can give it to the cops."

Unfortunately, the Lockerby cab that was targeted by thieves over the weekend didn't have a camera installed, Flinn said.

But co-owner Sharon Flinn said that will change next summer.

"We're putting (the cameras) in the newer models, so as the older models get phased-out hopefully by August 2012, when the next formal inspection for the taxis is we hope to have cameras in each one of our vehicles."

The cameras take three photos whenever a passenger gets in and a new fare begins. The driver can also record video if they activate the panic button.

Flinn said she hopes the cameras will help prevent robberies in the future and help police identify thieves.