Some Saint John cab drivers say meters a good thing

Some Saint John taxi drivers say their voices are being lost in the debate over a new bylaw requiring meters in city cabs.

They want no part of a plan, hatched last weekend by a drivers' group, to hire a lawyer to fight the bylaw changes which are scheduled to go into effect June 1.

"I just got my meter the other day, it's getting installed next week," said independenttaxi driverCharlene Savoie of Char's Taxi.

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The long-time driver suspects many of her colleagues are afraid of meters because they don't want a record of their income.

But she says taxi incomes in Saint John are far below what they could be, in part because of the zone system and in part because there have been no rate increases.

"I'm not making the living I should be making because our fares haven't changed since 2002," said Savoie.

"I don't get paid for my time, I don't get paid for waiting, I don't get paid for stops and drop offs."

Gerry Dort, a driver with Diamond Taxi, is on the same page.

"I really believe, when it's all said and done, it's going to be better for everybody," Dort said about the new bylaw.

He does, however, expect the taxi industry to get smaller as some drivers and car owners get out of the business.

Dort says they will leave because of added regulations in the bylaw and its requirement that taxis be newer.

But he adds with fewer taxis and fewer drivers profits will increase, making the industry more professional.

"It's kind of dog eat dog," said Dort. "There are far too many taxi companies and far too many drivers in this city for the amount of business."