After some deliberation, the previously approved taxi-fare increase will not be implemented – at least for now.
The Stratford Police Services Board met for the first time since June on Sept. 18 with a packed agenda, including approving increases to the regular fare rate from $14 to $16 and to the senior rate from $13 to $15.
At the June 19 meeting, the change was approved by the board but there needed to be a period of time for the public to be made aware of the potential change before the board formally approved it.
Gail Cossey of Aunt Gail’s Taxi originally brought the fare increase up, arguing the business model just isn’t working with the rise in administrative costs.
“Insurance, repairs, oil, tires, licensing, cleaning supplies, washing, vacuuming, all of these items have increased in price due to inflation,” Cossey previously told the board. “And especially the costs of repairs are through the roof. … We really need a taxi-fare increase immediately.”
At that June meeting, Brad Rickert of Radio City Cab supported the fare increase, but Tony Rebelo of City Cabs did not attend.
Rebelo was at the most recent meeting, however, and while he acknowledged the business has gotten more expensive, he didn’t think a rate increase was appropriate at this time with the cost of living being so high.
“Sixteen dollars is too much,” Rebelo said.
Rebelo, like Rickert, was in favour of examining the system as a whole. Currently, taxi companies must charge a flat fee for every ride, whether it's a ride down the block or across the city.
After some conversation of whether a new system would be appropriate and what model should be looked at, chair Tim Doherty interjected.
“This is the third year in a row that we’ve had some presentation from some cab companies, asking for a fare increase,” Doherty said. “You've had questions about whether, in fact, it's our appropriate role to be the gatekeepers of taxi-cab tariffs. There's certainly some merit to that. Here today, we're hearing different opinions on how we should impact pricing.
“We need to take this information, take it away and have a meeting where we can dedicate time – have a more fulsome discussion about taxi fares, how do we licence them, how do they get increases, what law we want to look (at), pricing and possibly have some staff from the city involved in that discussion.”
The motion to table the fare increase and to have a dedicated, fulsome investigation of the taxi system in the city was passed.
Though Cossey did not comment on the decision, she had previously told the board what a rate increase meant for her company.
“There's the need for the increase in order to keep our businesses running,” Cossey said at the meeting. “Everything's gone up so much and we just need to be able to earn a living.”
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