Yellowknife (Mar 31/04) - Having no place to stop and drop passengers along Franklin Avenue has become a concern for Yellowknife cab drivers.

Terry Gitersos, a driver for Diamond Cabs, says cabs are being given the squeeze because they have few spaces where they can legally stop for passengers.

"We have nowhere at the curb to stop. It means our patrons have to walk after we drop them off," Gitersos said.

Sherry Graham, the office manager for Diamond Cabs, recently addressed the cab company's concerns in a letter addressed to Dave Nicklen, director of public safety at city hall. "This is an ongoing concern," Graham said.

"Our curb-to-curb service doesn't seem to apply in the downtown core," she said of common business practice.

The areas between 51st and 53rd Streets are of particular concern, Graham said.

It is in this downtown core area where safety becomes a concern, Graham said.

"Our senior passengers do not like being dropped off far from their destination -- especially on icy sidewalks," she added.

Nicklen said that in any city the same parking problems often occur. "They are inherent with the way in which the city was built," Nicklen said.

While always willing to co-operate with cab drivers, Nicklen said final solutions are difficult to achieve.

One suggestion could be the renting of a cab stall near certain businesses frequented by cab passengers, Nicklen said.

"Perhaps they (cab companies) could lobby these businesses to see if there is a solution."

Doug Gillard, manager of the city's bylaw division, also acknowledged the growing traffic congestion problem.

"But we can't create more room," he said.

Bylaw deems certain areas of Franklin Avenue to be no stopping or loading zones only.

Graham said the recent ticketing of a cab driver as he was unloading a fare's luggage while in such a no parking zone does nothing to alleviate the situation in which cab drivers find themselves.

Gillard said while one requires a permit to utilize loading zone space, taxis can stop long enough to leave passengers. "But we can't put taxi stalls in front of every building. And any decision would have to come from council," he noted of any parking changes.

Graham said she plans to bring the matter before council in the near future.