Taxi fares in Regina will increase by 12.3% in early August – Regina | Globalnews.ca

Regina city council approved a maximum rent increase of 12.3 percent for the cab Broker on Wednesday.

The city administration said the change came in response to feedback from business owners.

Drivers say the increased fares are needed to help them sustain their business as operating costs rise rapidly, especially at the pump.

Glenn Saly of Capital Cabs said, “We are entitled to 12.3 per cent under the taxi bye-laws.

Taxi fares are enforced by taxi bylaws and calculated using the “taxi cost fare model”. The model measures specific cost factors that affect the taxi industry based on the Consumer Price Index.

“So I have 10 cars, but I only have three on the road because of the gas… I think, ‘Yeah, they’ll be kinda happy’ and I hope some of my drivers come. Go back and on the road again.” Go,” Bill’s taxi owner Bill Singh said of the fare hike.

Asked whether the hike in fares would also increase competition with Uber, Singh said he does not think so. ,Like short trips, you know? If they (Uber) go a block or two, they charge $10 anyway. I only make $4 or $5 on it. So we can’t do that because we have a meter that we follow.”

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Rideshare, taxi drivers describe impact of rising gas prices

Discussions began with taxi brokers in March of this year to determine whether an increase was desired to account for rising fuel costs. Interim city manager Jim Nicholl said the model was reviewed and taxi fares increased by a proposed eight percent.

The brokers decided not to proceed with the changes at that time. Then on June 10, all the five taxi brokers wrote to the city administration demanding an increase. While the report was finalized on Wednesday, the Consumer Price Index was updated, resulting in a rise of 12.3 per cent.

As of 6 July, only two taxi brokers had given their support for the additional increase as they did not have enough time to respond and send reports to all taxi drivers.

Ward 8 Co. Shannon Zachidniak expressed her concern about the effect of rising rents on marginalized groups in the city. She asked whether the city offers any support or discounts to community members who may be disproportionately affected.

After the bylaw goes into effect at the next council meeting in August, the initial meter drop rate will be increased from $4 to $4.25 for the first 120 meters of travel. The distance rate will be changed from $0.25 to $0.25 to $0.25 for each additional 127 meters, and the rate for taxis hired by the hour will be increased from $36 per hour to $39 per hour.