Ride-booking proposal angers eastern P.E.I. taxi owner

A taxi company owner in Montague is warning there will be a lawsuit if P.E.I. allows ride-booking companies to operate and she loses her business as a result.

Earlier this week Transportation Minister Steven Myers said government is preparing legislation for the fall session that would allow ride-booking services, made popular by Uber and Lyft in other parts of the world, to operate on the Island. A P.E.I. company is prepared to start operating the service.

Linda Lannigan owns Dixon's Taxi in Montague, which operates two taxis there, and one in Souris. She's afraid allowing ride-booking in P.E.I. would put her out of business.

"If my company goes down, I am suing. There's not a doubt in my mind," said Lannigan.

"I'm going to talk to the other taxi companies to see what we can do. Maybe we should all shut down for a couple of days and see what happens. It can happen you know. If we all come together and stump, it's not going to be good."

The province is considering the change because of long waits for taxis in some parts of the province, in particular in Charlottetown on weekend nights.

From time to time her customers do have to wait to get a ride, Lannigan said, but she works until everyone gets home. She said customers just need to be more patient.

Lannigan said she has contacted Myers, Premier Dennis King and Montague-Kilmuir MLA Cory Deagle to express her frustration.

She said she will not hesitate to follow the lead of taxi companies in some other parts of Canada that have filed lawsuits in their fight against ride-booking companies.

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