Frustration grows as cab lineup at airport stretches on

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/12/2016 (3234 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LINEUPS for cabs at the Richardson International Airport stretched from the baggage carousels to the front doors Boxing Day.

More than one irate passenger could be heard cursing taxi service and wishing that Winnipeg had Uber on the roads. Others who had family or friends to pick them up looked over the shoulders at the spectacle, grateful for the rides they had waiting for them.

For the people who were stuck, however, it proved to be a long wait.

“We’re waiting for taxis and we’ve been in this line for an hour,” said Marilyn Muller, who was within a metre or two of the doors by about 5 p.m. Boxing Day.

“I don’t want to complain, but I don’t know how many taxis are out there working, but there is pre-planning that’s to be done for stormy weather,” she said.

“My mom, she’s 91, and she’s getting tired,” said Bonnie Harrow, gesturing back to thank Muller; “She let us butt in line in front of her. It was kind,” Harrow said. Her mother, in a wheelchair, smiled and nodded her thanks.

Judging by the line in front of them, there was still at least half an hour to wait before they would get a cab.

Unicity Taxi has an exclusive contract with the airport but getting a cab there — or anywhere in Winnipeg — was nearly impossible the day after a Colorado low dumped more than 30 centimetres of snow on city streets.

The manager of Unicity could not be reached. A spokesman for Winnipeg Taxi Alliance, which lobbies on behalf of Winnipeg cab companies, blamed the cab shortage on the storm.

“The City of Winnipeg just put out an advisory to stay off the roads,” said Alliance spokesman Michael Diamond.

“I’m sure the taxi companies are trying their best but they can’t out-manoeuvre the weather. I can’t comment on an act of God,” Diamond said.

Phone lines to the city’s two principal cab companies, Unicity and Duffy’s Taxi, were busy all day, and waits for cabs were reported to be hours long.

Last week, an independent review commissioned by the Manitoba Taxicab Board recommended ride-sharing services such as Uber be allowed to operate. Terms of Uber’s licence would need to be determined so it could be some time before the service is available in Winnipeg.

The review found that Winnipeg has fewer taxis per capita than other major Canadian cities.

At the airport there were many in the lineup for cabs who were frustrated and were muttering about the service.

“Would you call Uber if the city had the service?” one was asked.

“Absolutely,” was the reply.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca