Calgarians surveyed on taxi service

On the heels of the city launching a public survey about taxi service, an advocacy group says the majority of Calgarians are dissatisfied with it.

Voters for Taxis released the results of a small, informal online survey on Thursday that it said showed many people are frustrated with the availability and reliability of taxis in Calgary.

The citizen group received about 140 responses through its website in July; online surveys are not considered scientific polls.

The group said 62 per cent of respondents stated they had to call friends or family for alternative transportation because they couldn't get a taxi. About half said they would take taxis more often if they were more readily available.

Members of Voters for Taxis were on the Stephen Avenue Mall on Thursday afternoon drumming up public awareness about their second online survey on customer satisfaction.

"If they can share all that with us, then we can help city hall understand that people do want better service," said group member Karen Cameron.

The group pointed out that, except for 100 wheelchair-accessible vehicles, the city has not granted any new taxi licences for 23 years, which distorts how cabs can meet supply and demand in Calgary.

"We'd like to see city hall write a bylaw that is more about the customer service that's more about the industry making its money based on providing service to customers as opposed to the money on their licences. It's distorted everything," Cameron said.

She said the task of deciding how many cabs the city needs during slow times, or alternatively, a big convention should fall to the industry and not to city hall.

On Wednesday, the Taxi Limousine advisory committee announced it's seeking input from the public about their experiences with taxis and limousines in Calgary as part of its mandated report to city council every two years.

The committee's job is to ensure public safety and quality service, and it can recommend changes to the bylaw governing taxis and limousines.

The city is asking people to take a survey on its website about usage, average wait times, driver knowledge, with room for additional comments. It's also hosting a public meeting on Sept. 1o at the downtown library before it submits a report to a city committee in November.