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City Exploring Cab Fare Increases, New Regulations

Oct 7, 2016 | 11:59 AM

LETHBRIDGE – Lethbridge cab users might want to be on the look out for some fare increases in the near future.
 
On Monday (Oct. 3), representative for Royal Taxi, A-Plus Taxi and Fifth Avenue Cabs, Mark Lencucha, requested a general 20-per cent rise in fares (listed above).
 
He says there haven’t been any increases since late 2008, and it will bring them on par with the rise in operating costs and minimum wage.
 
“[We] need to compete with every other job in the city, for what’s a tough job as a cab or taxi driver. It’s not a really big increase in terms of an eight year run, and might be another seven or eight years before we have to come back.”
 
Lencucha noted that Lethbridge also lags behind when compared to cities like Red Deer, Medicine Hat and Calgary, stating that rides are much shorter here and only average about nine-dollars per trip. The increase could make them level with those cities that typically have higher fares and much longer trips.
 
On top of just price changes, he also asked about some regulatory changes as Alberta moves more toward online ride hailing services, like Uber.
 
“[The drivers] simply want to make sure that when you step into an Uber car, or one of their cars, that everyone’s running by the same standard,” Lencucha noted. “If we’re going to be signed, they should be signed. If we pay commercial insurance, they should. If we’re having criminal record checks, they must.”
 
He went on to explain that proper licencing, regulations and 24/7 dispatch ensures driver and passenger safety, while also providing an outlet to deal with complaints.
 
City council has now directed administration to explore all of the requests, asking them to come back with a report by November 28.
 
Lencucha hopes changes will be made by the new year.