Public gets a kick at Calgary taxi service

The public gets a chance Thursday to offer suggestions to improve Calgary's often-criticized taxi service.

The city's taxi and limousine advisory committee is to host a public forum as it prepares to make changes to the taxi bylaw.

Karen Cameron of the Voters for Taxis organization said the city desperately needs more cabs because wait-times frequently are just too long.

"We need a bylaw that allows the industry to put out the right number of cabs," said Cameron, whose group conducted an online survey during the Calgary Stampede that found customers were complaining they could not find a cab or that they had long waits.

"Even in the low times we do need more cabs," Cameron said. "Calgarians expect that a bylaw would tell the taxi industry the level of service that's required. You know, this is a bylaw that needs a little bit more than tweaking."

Cameron said the bylaw should includea performance standard with minimum wait times.

But Calgary's taxi companies are not keen to put more cars on the road. Cab ownersclaim business is down 40 per cent this year and more competition would hurt the industry even more.

"Right now, if I look at the phone, there's seven operators waiting for a call," said Roger Richard, president of Associated Taxi. "I don't think it's an issue."

The city says it will consider the input gathered at Thursday's meeting when recommendations for the bylaw go to council in November.