Apparently, cab companies in the Calgary, Alberta area are considering the possibility of charging people a “late ride fee” for the need to get somewhere via taxi between 10:00 PM and 4:00 AM. They say it’s to pay for vehicle upkeep/maintenance etc. I think I’ll just call bullshit right about now. After about midnight, at least in Ottawa–note I’ve never lived in Calgary–bus routes tend to get themselves shut down for the night. After about 1:00 in the morning, if you ain’t got a ride home from a coworker, or a wickedly awesome family member who doesn’t mind coming to fish your ass from work and dumping you in your driveway at half past dark, you ain’t got a ride home. Unless you feel like coughing up the $30 or so to get yourself home at half past dark in the morning. They start thinking about increasing their fees just during those hours, and I’m going to once again start questioning why on God’s green and blue planet OC Transpo still doesn’t run 24 hours.
Now, granted I don’t know what the transit situation’s like in Calgary, but if it’s anything like Ottawa, the cab driver’s probably your best friend after about 11 in some places, 1:00 everywhere else. Or, if you’d prefer, no bus fair plus no driver’s license equals no real choice–whichever you rather. And you probably already have to get creative to be able to aford to get yourself home from work after the place closes down at 1:00 in the morning–oh yeah, that was fun. Really. And along comes a “late ride fee” of an indeterminate amount to be slapped on your bill along with whatever’s charged on the meter? Yeah, I think not.
Calgary, if you’re smart, you’ll give this idea a second thought. Then promptly toss it under the bus where it belongs. Ottawa, for the love of chese, pretend you don’t actually see this idea. Trust me, it’s not a very good one. Now if only that served to convince me you wouldn’t go on ahead and run with it. What I wouldn’t do for a 9:00-5:00 job now.
PS: This could also serve as a kick in the ass to make OC Transpo 24/7. Also not holding my breath on *that* idea, but it wouldn’t hurt.
One response to “Hey, Ottawa? Don’t borrow this idea from Calgary. Kay?”
So if this is to pay for maintaining the vehicles, where do I get me one of them vehicles that doesn’t need any maintaining, you know, like the ones these chuckleheads are apparently driving around in the daytime/early evenings?