Cabbies want $3 late night fee

[Traditional_Ale]

I take a cab once to twice a week if I'm going out jamming and sure as hell won't be in any shape to drive. I've never had waiting issues at any time ever. On hold for 10 minutes is about as bad as it gets.

This $3.00 is a cash grab.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

The $3 will definitely be coming out of the tip I would have left.

[burn_this_city]

The whole cab situation in Calgary is crooked as hell. The companies dont want any additional licenses out there because they've been selling them for $100,000 plus. Another $3 is a cash grab, we sure didnt see a rate roll back after gas prices went down a year or two ago.

[Clarkey]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

I take a cab once to twice a week if I'm going out jamming and sure as hell won't be in any shape to drive. I've never had waiting issues at any time ever. On hold for 10 minutes is about as bad as it gets.

This $3.00 is a cash grab.

Please explain this 'jamming' you speak of.

[To Be Quite Honest]

Yup, I didn't tip when my cab fare was $22 coming from the Airport to 64th ave and 4th street NE. I will not tip if this happens. By the way, the trip there was $12.

If this goes through the Sun and
Herald should read.

CAB DRIVERS TIP IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE!

[TylerSVT]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

I'm intrigued. What do I get for my $5?

The same thing you get from the cabs... nothing.

[MJM]

What a joke. The cab industry in this city is as crooked as it gets. A cash crab that could A) put more drunks between the wheel or B) have a reverse effect creating the cab bubble prior to 10 pm as all of the night drivers will come out later to ensure they get their extra $3 bucks.

Personally, it won't cost me anything because any $3 surcharge I pay will be coming right out of their tip (IE they will be getting no tip at all).

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

Offering a wage increase is an attempt to hire more staff.

Right, by why try to bring in more people at a higher rate when there are people wanting to work for the current rate?

Why not allow more cabs onto the streets? Why are cabs protected from competition more than any other service industry?

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by TylerSVT

The same thing you get from the cabs... nothing.

Technically, I'm getting a cab ride between 10 PM and 4 AM and paying $3 extra for it. You've gotta up the ante, man. I can de afford to give you $5, make it worth my whole though. Start with *something*.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Right, by why try to bring in more people at a higher rate when there are people wanting to work for the current rate?

Why not allow more cabs onto the streets? Why are cabs protected from competition more than any other service industry?

The licensing is broken, no question about it. I'm not trying to defend the licensing practices for cabs in this city.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

Please explain this 'jamming' you speak of.

Playing music.

Or hookers and blow. Either way its a valid post.

[J epworth]

If this goes through, I will just end up tipping them less. I see it as a service surcharge much like automatic gratuity for parties that are 8 people or more at restaurants. So I'll just minus 3 bucks from what I would normally tip for a ride home.

[united]

They want a wage increase? Fine. That's an extra $150 per year I'll spend to get to and from home safely, and the amount of #### they have to put up with during those hours is unreal.

I don't buy the waiting time part though. In the past year the longest I had to wait for a cab between 8 and 10 PM was probably 25 minutes, and going home probably 15 minutes (from downtown/beltline).

[burning_acid1]

They have this surcharge starting at 9 pm in Edmonton. I was there this weekend and the cab ride started at $6.60. I thought it was a mistake and complained at first. I talked to a friend in Edm and she told me it wasn't a mistake.

[puckluck]

I have some friends and cousins that are Taxi drivers, and they make 6 figures and more than half of that is cash.

Taxi drivers aren't about to start working more for 3$ extra a ride. They already work about 60-70 hours a week. They already make about $400 a night so I doubt $40 dollars extra a night is going to be enough incentive.

And which taxi doesn't work on a Friday or Saturday? Almost all taxis are rented out 24/7 especially on the weekend.

[4X4]

I think the only way that the cab business is going to become fair for both cabbies and patrons is for there to be some kind of zone formula instituted. I live in Marda Loop, and party either right around here, or else downtown on 17th. I NEVER have a problem getting a cab. Hell, on NYE, I got a cab to pick me up at home, drive me to the liquor store, and drive me back here. Now, when I did an unfortunate stint in Auburn Bay, getting a cab was like trying to catch a mouse with my bare hands. As soon as I told them the address, the ETA was suddenly 40+ minutes.

Increasing the sheer number of cabs wont change the obvious fact that for a cabbie, the best place to farm is the 17th ave corridor, the adjacent areas, and probably some other popular areas like maybe 36th St NE, or what have you. No cabbie in his right mind is going to just hang around Dixon's Pub in Midnapore unless he had the displeasure of driving someone down there from DT or the airport.

Obviously it's a pipe dream that all the cab companies would work together (well, collusion notwithstanding), but if there were a way that a cabbie dispatched to the far reaches of the city were to be notified of a pending fare in that area, so that he wouldn't get bored waiting, or else just head back DT, then maybe getting a cab in this town wouldn't be such a PITA.

I can see why cabbies dont want the market flooded, but we, as patrons, need service all over the city, not just DT and airport.

[Regulator75]

Didn't read the whole thread...

If this goes through, I will no longer tip them.

[Northendzone]

cracks me up that there are a lot of complaints on here about a $3 charge - yet none about the price of drinks in the bar.

if you don't like the surcharge - don't take a taxi.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

cracks me up that there are a lot of complaints on here about a $3 charge - yet none about the price of drinks in the bar.

if you don't like the surcharge - don't take a taxi.

What does one have to do with the other? Not everyone takes a taxi because they're drunk. Some people just can't be bothered to find an insanely expensive parking spot to go out for a couple of drinks. Other people simply don't own cars. It may be a convenience to some, and a necessity to others. Just because I don't like the price of airfare, doesn't mean I'm not forced to fly sometimes. I'm not going to take a boat to Europe.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by TylerSVT

So, i should just go around and ask every person for $5 because everyone can afford it...

Why dont you give me $5??? you can afford it.

Regardless of how much it is, its a raise in fares that has NO basis.

Sure, write me an detailed description of why you deserve the $5 and I will consider your application.