Taxi fares revised, while Uber is preparing her suitcase…

Photo Simon Clark

Elisa Cloutier

Thursday, 12 October 2017 18:50

UPDATE
Thursday, 12 October, 2017 19:03

Look at this article

A few hours of the ultimatum to Uber, which threatens to put an end to its activities in Québec as early as Saturday, the taxi industry is preparing to review its rates, which could jump to nearly 6 %.

Taxi fares have been frozen since 2012, despite indicators to the increase in operating costs related to the permits of the taxi. The Commission des transports du Québec evaluates the shortfalls, at 5.9%, pursuant to its index of the cost of the taxi.

In their decision of last year, the commissioners of the CTQ have renewed the requests of the stakeholders, who indicated that ” the arrival of Uber affects the drop on the asking price for a race […] “. Thus, ” the indexing of the cost of the taxi would only decrease the demand for transport “, one can read. A public hearing of the CTQ is scheduled on 24 and 25 October next year to re-evaluate the prices. “For the moment, we do not know what will happen. It is certain that the maximum increase is 5.9 %. It may be that the stakeholders have asked for a greater or a smaller increase, but it must be accepted by the commissioners, ” says the spokesperson of the CTQ, Johanne St-Laurent.

Increase the night ?

Such an increase, however, is not in the cards, according to Abdallah Homsy, spokesman for the Grouping of the interim taxi Québec (RITQ), who will attend the public hearing. “For the moment, this is not envisaged,” said Mr Homsy, who will meet with its members over the next few days. A proposal for the increase of the rates at night could be made to the commissioners. “Our goal is not to increase, but we must see to modulate the price the night ? We must analyze it, ” he said. According to Dr. Homsy, the fate of Uber does not influence none of its proposals.

The new minister questioned

Meanwhile, on parliament hill, the new minister of Transport André Fortin was asked on all sides as to its direction on the difficult issue. However, it has not responded to Thursday.

For its part, the Coalition Avenir Québec proposes to extend by one month the current pilot project.

Québec solidaire implore, for its part, the new minister of Transport not to hunker down in front of Uber. A hard-line that the prime minister Philippe Couillard has promised to follow, promising fairness to the taxi industry.

Nor the direction of Uber-Québec or the minister of Transportation have not returned calls from the Journal on Thursday.

– With the collaboration of Kathryne Lamontagne