Iqaluit taxi firms make their case to increase fares by $1
Motion to bring proposed increase to next city council meeting unanimously approved
Representatives from Iqaluit’s four taxi companies fill the gallery at city hall during a taxi review committee meeting Sept. 19 (Photo by Emma Tranter)
Iqaluit city council will consider a $1 taxi fare increase for the second time this year at next week’s meeting.
Representatives from four Iqaluit taxi companies made a presentation to the city’s taxi review committee, chaired by Coun. Simon Nattaq, on Thursday, Sept. 19.
The proposed increase would bump taxi fares up from a flat rate of $7 to $8. Elders’ fares would stay at $5.
The last time taxi fare rose in the city was in 2014.
The increase was brought to the committee earlier in March and was passed by its members. It was then sent to council for approval, but was sent back to the committee for further review.
Drivers and staff from Caribou Cabs, Prime One, Bell Photo and A1 Taxi filled city hall’s gallery Sept. 19 to provide more details on why they believe the increase is needed.
Danny Savard, owner of Caribou Cabs, told the committee that his company’s new digital dispatch system, which includes video surveillance and tablets in vehicles and a new smartphone app, has driven up their costs while also providing improved service to customers.
“We’ve been constantly growing and expanding operations, striving to provide safe and reliable transportation to the residents of Iqaluit. The challenges we have faced on this path are many, ranging from extreme weather… to extremely long wait times in terms of parts and materials to maintain our fleet,” Savard said.
Savard presented an analysis of taxi fares from the other two territorial capitals, combined with the cost of living.
The increase was also brought up at the committee’s meeting in Feb. 2018 but because of turnover in committee members and staff, it never made it to council for a vote.
Allan Webb, a taxi review committee member, said the committee has always been supportive of the increase, but wants to see the taxis take more steps to improve safety.
“I would like to say that there are some issues that need to be cleaned up. U-turns in front of the post office and CIBC are not acceptable … The other issue is speeding on smaller streets,” Webb said.
Savard said Caribou Cabs is working with the city to get drivers ticketed and fired after they accumulate 20 tickets.
“I do apologize for the bad behaviour of some drivers … They need to be reported. I’m not on the road every day to see what’s happening,” Savard said.
“This comes with the aid of the digital dispatch system, as we have mentioned, and the cameras. If you notice somebody’s doing illegal activity in front of your house, call me at 979-6528, take the exact time this occurred, the location … I will be able to find that car,” he added.
Ronnie MacGregor, a Caribou Cabs employee, said the company is also developing a neighbourhood monitoring program, called the Neighbourhood Safety Project.
“The cabs can be the eyes of the city, because we are on the road 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said.
MacGregor gave an example of how a driver spotted smoke from a fire that erupted early one morning.
“I immediately called the fire hall and we told there might be a fire and they didn’t know about it. We helped in saving half of that building by being the eyes of Iqaluit.”
The project would train all Caribou Cabs drivers to detect “suspicious activities, unsafe behaviours and individuals that might be in danger,” he said.
The company would also have a reporting system to keep track of the incidents.
The committee unanimously passed a motion to bring the proposed increase to city council next week.
The next Iqaluit city council meeting is Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. Territory-wide municipal elections take place Oct. 28.
Didn’t they just rise the cost. $7 bucks for a 5 minute ride that takes them 30 minutes because they pick up 3 more people and they they get made at you because you want to get to work on time. Taxi driver’s may not be making lots of money but they sure ain’t hurting.
Taxi drivers would make good money if the companies would lower the dispatch fees.
It is unbelievable the amount a driver has to pay to the company for working a shift. council should maybe ask to see the profits of the company before raising the cost of a taxi ride.
On the one hand I think $8 is fine for a cab ride. I also feel bad for some of these drivers. The verbal abuse they’re subjected to is repulsive. I’ll stand up for any driver who’s being lambasted by a drunken patron. Some of these drivers are here to support their families who live far away.
On the other hand, to the drivers who drive like entitled lunatics: please stop. Speeding in residential areas, texting, agressive behaviour, picking up other riders without asking, etc. This shouldn’t be the norm but it is. Same goes for Snack drivers (funny how they’re owned by the same company as Caribou Cabs). Our city’s road infrastructure is a mess, and when certain cabs are constantly breaking the last remaining road rules that we have left, it makes driving or being a pedestrian miserable.
To the Review Committee who asked for more training for drivers: did you actually get them to commit to this in writing? Or was it just a bunch of rambling? People have been saying for years that they need to be more careful and yet no one commits to anything. Just more of the same.
If a driver drives like a reasonable person, I always tip. If you do something dumb, then you get $7 (now $8). I encourage others to do the same, and tell them why they’re not getting a tip. Some drivers think that if they get to the destination faster (no matter how dangerous) that they will make more money. But if they realize they won’t get tips because of it, then they might be a little more mindful of their behaviour. If you can’t afford a tip, a sincere “thank you” would be a good way to encourage drivers to be reasonable.
I support their increase, they need to making a living rage too, they do shit job that one really wants to do!
Again? Can we please not raise a 3 minute ride to that much? If you’re not making enough money, either start charging different fares for different parts of town (ie: from brown to northmart is $5, brown to Plateau is $7, brown to apex is $10 or something)? Or some other method that will help?
Waiting 20 minutes for a cab, having them detour to pick up 4 more people before they bring you to where you wanted to go, even though they almost passed by your stop, just so they can pack more people into their car? Do you know how many times I’ve been late to work when relying on the cabs?
I accept they face some horrible things, and are the eyes, etc. But when the city doesn’t maintain any walking paths in some areas, so the only viable method is a cab, and it’s a 2 minute ride, $8 is excessive.
I actually prefer to pay/distance like in Toronto/etc by now. It would be cheaper, and would force the cabs to drop you quick so they can go for the next person. Because I’d refuse to pay if they detoured while I’m paying for the ride.
I also think this increase is crazy… however i have taken a few cabs in the south and if i remember correctly they all start at a base price around $10… then go up from there for the length/time of ride. so i dont think that would help in Iqaluit. also if it is a 2 minute ride…then walk. if it is cold use the money you save on cabs and buy some better winter clothing. and a designated walking path… really. take off your shoes and buy qamik.
oh wait we’re not in Toronto or southern canada, we are in the north, how people easily forget about other people’s struggle! We are so wrapped up around our needs we tend to forget people that serve us and sometimes have to put up with our bs and do it with a smile! Remember people these people have no choice but to do a job they are qualified for, for below minimum wage!
Fired after 20 tickets?!? 20?!?
This was my reaction when reading that.
Iqaluit needs to go to a different fare system. You can be one person traveling from the far side of the Plateau to the far side of Tundra Valley, and it’s going to cost you $7 (soon $8). Or you can be a group of 4 friends traveling from Happy Valley to the Storehouse for $28 (soon $32). It’s pretty ridiculous.
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I don’t have an exact answer, because I don’t think going to a metered system is the right solution. I just think the current system is very flawed. Maybe some sort of neighbourhood-based system where you’ve got the town mapped out into Plateau, Happy Valley, Tundra Valley, Downtown, etc, and then had fares based on travel within an area or from one to another?
I wonder what my Boss would say if I asked him for a 15% raise? Then try to tell him it’s for a living wage. Imagine what would happen if the GN works demanded that kind of raise. Totally ridiculous.
Are you paying for your own equipment, office space, fuel to keep it heated and lights on while you’re working? If you are, you might have a case. If not, well, maybe you should consider the situation is different for you.
We all have expenses Observer
Okay. Why do we pay 8 dollars to help someone who’s not from here to help their families far away? They can make more moolah down south where cost of living is better. The lack of a public transit system such as buses hurt those who need it the most. Apex to town, Tundra Valley or RtNowhere to town, 300s to airport, and for individuals who have bad foot, leg, breathing, etc., individuals who are going to the hospital, single mothers with a small baby or child, a grandma caring for a grandchilld, a person not earning any money most of the time who is sick, disabled, etc. No buses… except taxis of immigrants who don’t give a hoot, who give us local Inuit a bad rap. Drunk Inuit are used as a way to colour everyone else. Enough is enough. Mayor et al, please give us a break. Help. Easy for the salaried GN/Inuit org chaps to say, 8×4 people going to the pub is bad for them. How narrow a view you have. 7 thousand Iqalummiut, see the GN and Inuit org train at 8:30am, 11:50noon and 4:55 pm.
become a cab driver then, keep that 8 dollars in the pockets of locals…no thanks you say? then pay your cab driver 8 bucks and say thank you very much.
Can we have cleaner rides too, these taxi’s are always dirty and feel broken down. Also the city by-law states you have to be dropped off after two stops, anymore then that should be reported. And please stop trying to pick up girls while you are working, it’s so scary to bring my daughters somewhere by taxi, don’t want drivers eyeing up my girls or my girlfriend thanks.