Calgary cabs sit idle as passengers stew

Calgary taxi companies are desperately short of drivers at one of the busiest times of the year, and customers are getting fed up with the long waits for service.

Mike Nelson spent more than 90 minutes at North Hill Centre shopping mall waiting for taxi with his groceries, which he said were "thawing comfortably."

"I was told 15-20 minutes," he said. "I travel by cab everywhere I go, so I have to put up with this everyday."

Idle taxis

At Calgary's largest cab company there is a parking lot full of idle taxis. Al Enders, owner of Checker Cabs, said he is short more than 200 drivers.

"There's a labour shortage in Calgary — a labour shortage in Alberta — and we are no different," he said. "If we are pinched this way, ourcompetitors are pinched the same way."

Drivers can make about $300 a day during the busy season.

However, before they can get behind the wheel, they have to take a new five-day training course, as well as go through other tests and licencing procedures.The process can take two months and cost the driver $700.

"It's the two months without working or without being able to drive taxi, that seems to be the deterrent —plus the $700. I don't have to pay $700 to work at Tim Hortons and get benefits," Enders said.

Customers can book ahead

Cab companies say the wait for taxis will only get worse through the holiday season.Enders said customers can book ahead but the company isn't guaranteeing the cab will show up on time.

Roger Richard, president of Associated Cabs, said the city's growth has also made taxi trips longer, while road construction slows drivers down.

Richard and Enders both say taxi customers shouldn't expect any improvements until Alberta's economy slows down.