Taxi service in Calgary is downright awful. Not even counting the times I've waited hours for a taxi during Christmas party time, or Stampede, or whatever, I've found that even pre-booking a taxi for a morning trip doesn't help... here's what they do: You phone the day before, book for the next morning. They confirm your booking. Then, the next morning, 20 minutes before your taxi is due to come, they put the call out to their taxis to see who can get the booking. If those are all busy... tough luck! I missed a very important appointment because of that.
I have many stories of even during regular hours, where you order a taxi and it doesn't show up. And a late example: A few months ago I ordered a taxi for a relative, to show up at my place at 6:30, order placed at 4. It was to catch a plane. Taxi showed up after 7:30, by then, we got someone else to drive him.
There is no question they need to give out more licenses, and have greater accountability.
When I see such a widely acknowledged and talked about problem, and no real action in a regulated environment, its to the point my belief is something is corrupt in the system itself. I don't say that lightly.
Uber needs to be given the ability to operate in this city, and open it up to other technologies as well.
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