Teco Taxi looking to increase taxi rates in Fort St. John, Taylor

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John Cabs, which owns and operates Teco Taxi and Fort Cabs, has sent in an application to the Passenger Transportation Board (PTB) to implement a 7.3 per cent increase in its fare rates. 

The owner of the cab company, Tag Gill, provided Fort St. John and Taylor councils with a notice of his application this week.

“You are receiving this Notice for information purposes only. Local government action is not required,” Gill said in the notice that was brought up during both of the municipalities’ council meetings.

This increase comes after the PTB allowed taxi companies to request a 2023 Taxi and Limousine Cost Index (TLCI) increase of up to 7.3 per cent in fares.

“This decision is based on Consumer Price Index data for B.C. from March 2022 (the last TLCI intake) through June 2023,” read Teco’s notice. 

Fort St. John councillor Trevor Bolin brought up the news during a council meeting on Tuesday.

“[This is] unfortunate news,” said Bolin.

“The good news is there is a new cab company that just got approved and another one that got approved for two more plates. We’ll have three independent companies on the road in the course of the next week.”

In August, Super Cabs owner, Mebin Veliyath, was approved to operate two more cars after applying for five taxi licences in March.

Furthermore, Coastal Rides, a ride-hailing service serving the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island, started the process of recruiting drivers in Fort St. John in September.

District of Taylor Deputy Corporate Officer Lisa Ford said the discussion regarding the notice was brief during Taylor’s council meeting. 

“It was a brief conversation about service levels and transportation. If the council felt the same, they could write a letter and express concerns around service standards, so that was the direction they decided to go in,” said Ford.

Ford stated that Taylor council agreed to forward a letter to the PTB, expressing concern surrounding the transportation service levels of Teco Taxi. 

Copies of the letter were also provided to BC Transit, MP Bob Zimmer and MLA Dan Davies.