How some P.E.I. cab companies are dealing with COVID-19

As Islanders continue to stay home, practising physical distancing and social isolation, some of P.E.I.'s cab companies have experienced a sharp drop in ridership.

Kirby Eldershaw, a driver and former owner with Yellow Cab, has experienced that drop first-hand.

"It's been slow.I would say business has dropped about 85 per cent," he said.

"Right now we are only taking the nurses and home care workers and the staff to and from the grocery stores that are now open."

He saidthe decline in businessalso means the cab company has fewercarson the road. Prior to the measures put in place to address COVID-19 on the Island, the company would have about 18 cars on the road at one time, saidEldershaw.

"We're looking at maybe four to five cars working now every day," he said.

Most of the drivers are independent contractors with the cab company, said Eldershaw. He said most have stopped driving entirely for their own safety.

"A lot of taxi drivers in Charlottetown, that is the only job that they do have," he said."Some have other jobs, like myself, but not everybody has that option to have another job."

Eldershaw is still driving, and plans to continue so long as he's able to keep himself safe.

"I'm sanitizing the van down after the customers, my debit machine, door handles. I even take some wipes and do my seats. I just feel that I'm doing my part to stay safe," he said.

Extra precautions

The drivers that are still driving for Yellow Cab are taking extra precautions to make sure that both passengers and drivers are safe, and that includes not stopping at the airport.

"Because when they fly into the airport they have to self-quarantine, and if we go and pick them up and that means that we should have to self-quarantine too," he said.

"So me, I stay away from the airport right now. Nothing against the airport, it's just the circumstances."

P.E.I. Online Taxi started to notice it's ridership drop off within the first week of COVID-19 precautions coming into effect on the Island.

"We saw a complete drop in revenue to zero by the end of the first week,"saidOsama Abdoh, owner of P.E.I. Online Taxi.

The company has decided to take its cabs off the road for now, partly because of the lack of businessbut also to keep drivers safe.

"It's not just because there was no passengers available," said Abdoh. "It's also to make sure that there is the right measures in place to make sure this is safe to proceed."

Next week the company plans to put one cab back on the road.

Keeping everyone safe

Drivers are doing extra cleaningand Eldershaw said that when passengers climb into his cab, he asks them to sit in the back row of thevan to maintain as much distanceas possible.

He said he's looking for a way to further distance himself from passengers, looking to see if he can install a barrier between the front and rear of the vehicle.

While Eldershaw said he hasn't found a solution yet, P.E.I. Online Taxi plans to create one for their car that will be back on the road next week.

"We're going to create an airtight barrier between the driver and the passenger's cabin," Abdohsaid. "This particular measure provides complete isolation of the driver from the cabin and vice versa."

COVID-19: What you need to know

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common symptoms include:

• Fever.
• Cough.
• Tiredness.

But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia, which can lead to death.

Health Canada has built aself-assessment tool.

What should I do if I feel sick?

Isolate yourself and call 811. Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested. A health professional at 811 will give you advice and instructions.

How can I protect myself?

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

• Clean regularly touched surfaces regularly.

• Practisephysical distancing.

More detailed information on the outbreak is available on thefederal government's website.

More COVID-19 stories from CBC P.E.I.