The idea of a flat rate taxi fare in Orillia is getting the cold shoulder from local taxi companies. That topic took up a good chunk of a meeting Friday between taxi brokers and the Police Services Board.
[Representatives of four taxi brokers — Orilllia Taxi, All-Canadian Taxi, King’s Taxi, and Able Taxi — came to a meeting held by the Orillia Police Services Board at the Orillia City Centre.
The meeting was to discuss ways of improving taxi service and offering reasonable fares that will allow cab companies to stay in business.
But most of the attention was on the idea of a flat rate for travel around the City of Orillia.
The cab companies offered the Board no number to work on.
John Beck — owner of Able Taxi — says a flat rate is not fair to the consumer because the rider going a short distance would have to pay the same as one who travels a much longer distance.
He says he and other taxi brokers can’t survive with a flat rate, even on a trial basis.
Beck says he and the rest of the cab companies are in agreement that the rates for metered service are too high.
Currently the rates are 3 dollars 70 cents at the start of the trip and 30 cents for every one-tenth of a kilometer traveled.
The consensus from representatives of the cab companies was that the initial “drop rate” be lowered to 2 dollars 75 cents and 20 cents for every one-tenth of a kilometer traveled.
Police Service Board Chair Rick Fraracci says the idea of a flat rate was brought to the table by King’s Taxi owner William King who was also at the meeting.
Fraracci says there has to be a figure for flat rate service that can satisfy both the consumer and the taxi broker.
Fraracci says he doesn’t believe cab companies will go out of business if a flat rate fare was introduced on a trail basis.
He says if companies improve their customer service, then they can thrive with a flat rate.
Beck says the Police Services Board is open to discussion.
He says the Board has heard from drivers and the owners and believes something can be worked out.
Fraracci says he will present the information to the next Police Services Board meeting.
