Taxis jostle over business in Airdrie

The number of taxis in Airdrie, just north of Calgary, has quadrupled in the last two years, prompting a cab owner to call for regulations.

Mohamed Benini, owner of Avacab Taxis, said the city needs to regulate the industry, which currently has no rules or limits on taxis.

Benini, a former Montreal driver, bought his company two years ago when there were eight firms in the growing city. Now, 33 cab companies jostle for business in Airdrie.

'I've had a couple of guys ...start beaking each other off because they were mad because I wasn't going to go with them.' Taxi passenger Hayden Miller

"No regulation is bad. There's no taxi commission. There's no municipal enforcement enforcing the cabs," he told CBC News.

Benini is concerned about price cutting and a lack of decorum among drivers.

"These guys have been breaking down prices and taxi is no longer about service, it's about who has the best price," said Benini.

For example, Gold Tag Taxis advertised coupons in an Airdrie newspaper featuring 50 per cent off fares for students, 10 per cent off for seniors, and $20 from Airdrie to anywhere in Calgary.

"Everybody has been trying to compete with that, so basically we're driving for nothing, for less than minimum wage."

"If you calculate how much we make an hour, after paying the GST and paying the gas and paying the insurance and paying the repairs on the car, we probably make $3 an hour."

Drivers fighting over customers

Customers may be getting a better deal, but some have noticed it's not always a smooth ride.

"You don't have wait near as long to get a cab in Airdrie as you do in Calgary," said Hayden Miller, who takes cabs in Airdrie, mainly on the weekends.

"Sometimes, like, they all show up at once," he said. "I've had a couple of guys, kind of like, start beaking each other off because they were mad because I wasn't going to go with them.

"I didn't know what they were saying, but they were yelling at each other."

Benini said he's not impressed with the infighting.

"Everyone comes and cuts into line and doesn't respect that first come, first serve," he said.

"I had people working for me that actually owned a taxi company and I didn't know about it. They were basically promoting their taxi company through my business and trying to get my clientele base."

Bylaw expected next year

Kent Rupert, who works for the City of Airdrie's economic development department, said the number of cab companies have caught officials off guard.

Currently, anyone can apply for a business licence in Airdrie, put a decal on their vehicle and operate as a taxi. There are no special criteria, testing or licensing to be a taxi driver in the city.

Rupert said the city is working on a new bylaw governing taxis, expected by next year, but it will not limit the number of cabs.

"Our biggest concern is that everything is fair. Basically what we want to do is make sure all the cabs have meters in it," said Rupert. "We want to make sure that the drivers have their proper credentials and qualifications and that the vehicles are safe."

Benini said the best way to properly manage the industry is a cap on taxis, similar to a system in Calgary, which oversees about 1,400 taxi licences and 10 companies.