Need a cab? It might mean a wait in Fort McMurray, where fed-up drivers are leaving the business

As bars in Fort McMurray, Alta., open to larger crowds, and nightlife is starting to pick up, patrons may end up waiting for hours at the end of the night for a safe ride home.

The taxi industry has seen a large decrease in the number of drivers, and people in the industry are saying it's because they haven't seen a pay increase in almost 10 years.

Penny Skinner, manager of Sun Taxi, said the company had 137 units on the road before the pandemic, but now has about 50.

On a cold morning, people can wait up to an hour for a cab, and at night the wait timecan be several hours, Skinner said.

Drivers leave for better-paying jobs orjust leavetown, she said.

Cab fares, which are set by theRegional Municipality of Wood Buffalo,haven't increasedsince 2014.

The rateis currently set at $3.80 for the first 52 metres, plus 10 cents for each 52 metres after that.

Greg Bennett, communications strategist for the regional municipality,said bylaw services will start public engagement on the Vehicle For Hire bylaw this year as part of an update.

"We have heard concerns about the current rates from some in the industry," Bennett said in an email.

Insurance went up about 40 per cent for cab drivers in the last year, and gas is about 50 per cent more expensive than in 2014, said Skinner.

"Costs come up for these drivers and it's not profitable for them to be here," she said. "The bylaw needs to be reviewed."

She would like to see the rates increase by 15 per cent.

'There's need for a balance'

Skinner met with Coun. Funky Banjoko to talk about the issue. Banjoko said she's researching it further to see what can be done to support cab drivers.

"We need taxi services to be able to operate profitably and safely and also people need to be able to afford the rates. There's need for a balance," Banjoko said.

Like Skinner, Banjokosaid there's a need for the rate schedule to be reviewed.

Mostafa Hajer, a driver for Sun Taxi, starts every day $250 in debt when taking into consideration insurance prices, gas prices, his chauffeur's licence and taxi licence plate.

"The drivers are fed up," said Hajer, who said he works 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

He wants to be able to chargea minimum $10per trip.

"I haven't [taken]a day off since September," Hajer said."It's not fair at all ...At the end of the day I go home, I don't have the energy just to see my kids."

Sometimes drivers are put in dangerous situations. Hajer was driving a man to Calgary when he discoveredthe man had tested positive for COVID-19.

"I would love the city just to look after the drivers," he said.

Abdulghani Abdo, manager of United Class Cabs, said his company went from about 200 drivers pre-pandemic to about 60 now.

"They can't make their living," Abdo said.

As demand increases with lifting restrictions, Abdo said the availability of cabs "is going to be a problem." He said the calls have increased by 30 per cent since January.

"We don't have enough cars."

Angel Vandale, a bartender at Tavern on Main, said on a particularly busy night last week she called at least 10 cabs, but only one showed up.

At the end of the night, she had to drive a patron to another location to find a cab.

She had already spent an 90 minutes at the bar after closing, waiting for the man's cab. And dispatch told her it would be at least another hour's wait.

Vandale has worked at the bar since 2012 and said she's never seen people have such a hard time getting a safe ride home.

"I'm worried about the impact it's going to have when we go back to normal hours," Vandale said.

"Are we going to be here until 4 a.m. waiting for cabs? That's not really a possibility."