Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 09/05) - Two years after their last fare hike, city cab drivers say they need another to cope with rising fuel costs.

Several cab drivers appeared before city council Monday, who are being asked to approve a base rate of $4 - an increase of 75 cents, and $1.25 above the base rate in 2003.

The Department of Public Safety is also recommending that council approve a meter increase to 16 cents per 100 meters from 10 cents per 70 meters.

City Cabs, the largest taxi company in town with more than 65 cars on the road, had asked for a base rate increase to $4.25 and 20 cents per 70 meters.

In a Sept. 6 letter to Max Hall, city administrator, general manager Nero Mohamed pointed to pump prices which were $1.25 a litre that morning.

The average price in Yellowknife has since dropped to $1.09 a litre. According to city administrators, gas was 92 cents a litre the last time council increased cab rates.

Although the recommended fare increase was lower than what was asked for, City Cabs president Dibliwe Hamad was pleased.

"It helps," said Hamad. "It's better than nothing."

City Cab driver Fadil Memedi was disappointed that administration refused the company's request to consider limiting the number of taxi cabs on the road.

According to a note to council's committee meeting, Inuvik and Edmonton are the only jurisdictions that regulate the number of taxi permits. Yellowknife council rejected a similar proposal in August 2003.

"We don't get benefits, pension, or anything for doing this job, so some regulations would help," said Memedi.

He said that two taxi companies operating in the city, City Cabs and Diamond Cabs, have 110 cabs cars on the road - too many in his opinion.

"If we don't put some sort of regulations into it where's it going to stop?" said Memedi.

There was little discussion from city council on the fare increase request, other than a question from Coun. Mark Heyck, who asked the cabbies whether they were using cheaper propane instead of gas to operate their cars. He was told that most cabbies use regular gas because the propane system was expensive to install, and those who did install it complained of a "bad smell" afterwards.

Council puts the fare increase to a vote, Nov. 14.