Fare hike driving taxi riders loonie in Iqaluit

Complaints about taxi service in Iqaluit have spiked sharply since a $1 fare increase took effect earlier this month, city councillors say.

"There's been a substantial increase in the interest in taxi business with the increase in the fare," Coun. Glen Williams said with a chuckle during Friday's council meeting.

The fare increase, which took effect May 1, raised the price of a one-way taxi ride to $6 from $5. Elders are supposed to be exempt from paying the extra dollar, but councillors Simon Nattaq and Jimmy Kilabuk said that's not the case.

Speaking in Inuktitut, Kilabuk said some taxi drivers refuse to believe an elder passenger is over 60 —even after the elder offers to show identification — and hold their hand out for the extra dollar.

Williams said he's received other complaints as well, including concerns about overcrowding in taxis.

"As an example, how many people can a taxi carry? How many pick-ups can a taxi make on one call?" Williams said. "Some people are reporting that in the morning they've been in a cab that's actually picked up three other people, in addition to them, before they were dropped off. Is that within the bylaw?"

Williams suggested that city staff prepare an open letter to the public, advising everyone of what the regulations say in the taxi bylaw so that "we sort of stop the misinformation or misunderstandings … that both the public have and that the taxi industry has," he said.