The British Columbia taxi industry is calling for help from the province, as the price of gas continues to set new records in the province.
On Sunday, prices were observed as high as $2.09.9 in parts of Metro Vancouver.
“This is hurting us much more. Everybody doesn’t need to be on the road. We do, as an essential service,” B.C. Taxi Association president Mohan Kang told Global News.
Unlike the shipping sector, taxis can not raise their prices to offset high fuel costs. Taxi meter prices are regulated by B.C.’s Passenger Transportation Board.
Kang said the board has the power to step in and allow a temporary fuel surcharge on taxi fares to help drivers handle fuel prices.
In 2008, the board allowed a fuel surcharge of 3.5 per cent when rapidly increasing gas prices topped a then-shocking $1.35 per litre.
“We should have done things yesterday. They knew the price was going up,” he said.
“The extra money is (coming) out of the drivers’ pockets, which is hurting them.”
The Passenger Transportation Board says its annual taxi and limo cost index review is underway, which will identify room for a potential rate increase for taxis based on the consumer price index, which measures inflation.
Kang said that measure won’t capture the rapid rise of gas prices.
— with files from Kristen Robinson