The Answer to Calgary's cab Problem....

[burn_this_city]

Whoops, I confused two posters I was responding too.

[Winsor_Pilates]

We're actually the same person; I just log in under different names to throw you off.

[MJM]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Define worth.
The extra $50-$100K gives them the lifestyle they want and a property in an area that will be of higher demand and higher value moving forward. The extra money put into it, is usually outperformed by the higher profits/investment they get out of it on the sale end.

But, to each their own. I'm not trying to preach that everyone should live DT, and it's kind of off topic anyhow. Just saying, the city's wide footprint and inconvenient cabs/transit are highly related.


We're arguing your opinion vs mine based on each others experience; Kind of pointless.
My opinion is based on much more than a couple of people I know, it would be hundreds of people I know and demographic research I have done for work; but lets agree to disagree.

And I don't disagree with you on needing more cabs either. I think a combo of more urban density, more cabs, better transit (and later running) are all needed to alleviate the issues.

I think later running transit has the biggest potential to improve the situation, but this would be lobbied to no end by the cab companies. The same reason we will never have a train to the airport.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by MJM

I think later running transit has the biggest potential to improve the situation, but this would be lobbied to no end by the cab companies. The same reason we will never have a train to the airport.

I'm getting sick of the cab companies. It seems that any solution to transportation problems the city comes up with under any administration always involves use of cabs but not enabling more licenses.

[jammies]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Once they sober up they'll realize it wasnt worth the extra $50-100k to live downtown so they can get drunk on friday and saturday.

Thing is though, I can get drunk 7 nights a week *and* wear my wife-beater out on the balcony while I smoke.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by MJM

I think later running transit has the biggest potential to improve the situation, but this would be lobbied to no end by the cab companies. The same reason we will never have a train to the airport.

I don't think it is just the cab companies. Late running transit costs more in the budget which means more taxes. Ditto with the train to the airport - you've seen the bruhaha with just getting the tunnel to allow the potential of a train.

Cabs only cost the people who use them.

Now if you can somehow come up with the numbers to the argument that:
a) late night transit = less impaired driving
b) less impaired driving = lower police/medical/insurance costs
and
c) less costs offset the tax increase

THEN you may get some buy in, but I would imagine any numbers you come up with would be given some pretty harsh scrutiny.

[Imported_Aussie]

the big problem they need to fix with cabs is the payment - how many times have I gotten in a cab after 9pm and the debit is "broken" but credit card or cash is OK
Nightride buses would be the best solution, run them on the BRT routes (301, 302, 305) and either run the trains less frequently (i.e. every 30 mins) or run a bus on the train routes (i.e. downtown to south via McLeod, downtown to 36th via Memorial, etc) - less people need cabs, more people moved out of the downtown faster at the end of the night

[MJM]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I don't think it is just the cab companies. Late running transit costs more in the budget which means more taxes. Ditto with the train to the airport - you've seen the bruhaha with just getting the tunnel to allow the potential of a train.

Cabs only cost the people who use them.

Now if you can somehow come up with the numbers to the argument that:
a) late night transit = less impaired driving
b) less impaired driving = lower police/medical/insurance costs
and
c) less costs offset the tax increase

THEN you may get some buy in, but I would imagine any numbers you come up with would be given some pretty harsh scrutiny.

I have no doubt it would face much scrutiny. I've lived coast to coast, and as much as like living in Calgary, it is also by far the most backwards thinking metropolitan area i've ever spent any time in. Hopefully Nenshi can chance that.

[MJM]

Originally Posted by Imported_Aussie

the big problem they need to fix with cabs is the payment - how many times have I gotten in a cab after 9pm and the debit is "broken" but credit card or cash is OK
Nightride buses would be the best solution, run them on the BRT routes (301, 302, 305) and either run the trains less frequently (i.e. every 30 mins) or run a bus on the train routes (i.e. downtown to south via McLeod, downtown to 36th via Memorial, etc) - less people need cabs, more people moved out of the downtown faster at the end of the night

Everytime that happens to me, I take the cab's licensing number and call it to the company that there debit machine is broken (clearly it isn't".

[SebC]

Another band-aid proposal.

http://www.globaltvcalgary.com/world...933/story.html

Police are proposing ‘soft closing’, which would involve some bars remaining open past 3:00a.m. without alcohol being served. Police say that would reduce the number of patrons spilling out onto the streets at the same time and give intoxicated individuals some time to sober up.

Who wants to stay in a a bar for an hour and a half after they stop serving alcohol when there may or may not be a cab outside?

Personally I don't understand why the city limits cab licenses. What's special about cabs that free-market economics wouldn't work?

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by SebC

Another band-aid proposal.

http://www.globaltvcalgary.com/world...933/story.html



Who wants to stay in a a bar for an hour and a half after they stop serving alcohol when there may or may not be a cab outside?

That single guy scoping out the dying dance floor for fat chicks as his last chance to pick something up.

[frinkprof]

Couple things.

Re: late-night buses. Possibly running the Route 3 24 hours a day is in the works. Just route 3 though. It's the busiest route and I'd imagine it would be kind of a pilot project if it does happen.

The City needs more cab licences, end of story. I think the cab stands will help a bit, but more cab licences would help a lot, and not just for the bar rush. Getting a cab at any time of day in Calgary is ridiculously hard any place other than downtown and the airport. Call the number until you get through, and then play the waiting game for sometimes an hour or more.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by SebC

Another band-aid proposal.

http://www.globaltvcalgary.com/world...933/story.html



Who wants to stay in a a bar for an hour and a half after they stop serving alcohol when there may or may not be a cab outside?

Personally I don't understand why the city limits cab licenses. What's special about cabs that free-market economics wouldn't work?

People who are smart enough to order 2 pitchers at last call.

It's funny, the bars here in NYC all close at 4 and there rarely seem to be issues with people congregating and getting in fights or inability to find a cab (subway obviously helps there). It almost seems like pushing last call back 2 hours allows people to stagger departures on their own, even in the more college aged areas the bars can be pretty empty come 4 as a lot of people call it a night before that. There's obviously a lot of other factors in play in Calgary, but maybe extending hours would help with some of the issues.

[Bill Bumface]

^ Exactly. Contrast that with England's pubs closing up super early and everyone lining up 6 shots before they spill out onto the crowded streets to fight. Let people hang out, tire out, and sober up a bit and leave once they're dead tired.

[TopChed]

Agree with both above posts.

I was pretty shocked at how early the pubs close in England, and that has to be a major factor in their issues.

[CaramonLS]

Run C-trains 24/7 on Sat/Sun

[algernon]

Originally Posted by MJM

I think later running transit has the biggest potential to improve the situation, but this would be lobbied to no end by the cab companies. The same reason we will never have a train to the airport.

I used to believe one couldn't get to the airport via Transit. Well, I was wrong. Jump on the Train to Marlborough or Whitehorn, and get on the 57. 10 minutes after it leaves Whitehorn you're at the arrivals gate. I can't believe I have wasted thousands of dollars getting cabs to and from there.

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

^ Exactly. Contrast that with England's pubs closing up super early and everyone lining up 6 shots before they spill out onto the crowded streets to fight. Let people hang out, tire out, and sober up a bit and leave once they're dead tired.

Isn't that what the Warehouse was for?

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Once they sober up they'll realize it wasnt worth the extra $50-100k to live downtown so they can get drunk on friday and saturday.

Absolutely wrong.

It doesn't cost 50 or 100k more to live downtown. You get it back when you sell the house and then some. Only cost is incremental interest.

In fact inner city homes will appreciate faster, I could never afford a home in the burbs.

When it comes to urban planning I can't imagine a more backwards thinking city than Calgary in the past decade.

[pepper24]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

Absolutely wrong.

It doesn't cost 50 or 100k more to live downtown. You get it back when you sell the house and then some. Only cost is incremental interest.

In fact inner city homes will appreciate faster, I could never afford a home in the burbs.

When it comes to urban planning I can't imagine a more backwards thinking city than Calgary in the past decade.

Good points. Another factor the poster is missing that in the suburbs you usually need a car at minimum or 2 cars if you have a family as the unsustainability and weak transit in the suburbs literally make a car a must. Downtown you can usually get away with 1 car or even no car especially if you work downtown. According to the CAA the average car costs $7800 per year to run (mostly amortization plus insurance, gas, repairs etc). That difference more than covers the extra costs of the "downtown premium" for something that will at least keep pace with inflation versus a vehicle that depreciates to basically nothing over it's life time.

[Super-Rye]

I would think part of the answer would be to have a better transit system that runs later.