Cab commission calls for $2 weekend fare hike
Last Updated: Friday, April 4, 2008 | 2:31 PM MT
CBC News
BY JENNIFER WILSON — Edmonton's taxi commission is calling for a $2 surcharge for fares on Friday and Saturday nights to help address a "crying need" for late-night taxis.
"We thought this would be a way of encouraging more cabs to become available," explained Leon Lubin, the vice-chairman of the Vehicle for Hire Commission, previously the Edmonton Taxi Cab Commission.
He told CBC News that there is a "crying need" for cabs in the city's entertainment district after the bars close at 2 a.m., when more than 10,000 people hit the street vying for a ride home.
"What the commission is trying to do is ensure that we have sufficient taxis … to serve the community," he said. "We certainly don't want people getting into cars and driving home."
The commission is proposing the $2 fee be applied to fares exceeding $15 on Friday and Saturday nights between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Lubin added that the commission is hoping to receive feedback on whether the times, fee, and days seem appropriate to the community during a public hearing on the matter Monday morning.
The commission will review the comments from the meeting, and put forward its full recommendation Wednesday.
If passed by city council, the fee would be used in a six-month trial period starting July 1. After that time, Lubin said, the commission would review whether the service improves.
"If it doesn't work, there's no use for the surcharge," he said, adding that no matter how many cabs are available, there will always be a late-night crunch when the bars close.
Such a fee was originally recommended last summer by Hara Associates, a consulting firm that studied the city's taxi industry, as a temporary measure to help deal with the nighttime cab driver shortage. Hara recommended the surcharge be applied between 6 p.m. and 3 a.m.
The commission is also proposing adding 10 more licences for accessible taxis to the city's fleet.
