Representatives from some Vancouver taxi companies are expecting a 20 to 60 per cent decrease in business once the Canada Line opens this fall.
Saif Ullah, general manager of MacLure’s Cabs, anticipated the Canada Line will be a convenient and lower-priced competitor.
“Everyone likes to save money and everyone likes to try new things,” Ullah said. “We’re expecting things to slow by 40 per cent, but things are already slow with the recession.”
He added that trips between the airport and cruise ships are also down. With a fifth cruise line announcing this week that it will no longer operate out of Vancouver, the future is looking dim.
Hafiz Khan of Richmond-based Garden City Cabs said his company relies heavily on traffic to and from the airport: “The airport is a big part of our business. We anticipate a 60 per cent loss.”
LimoJet Gold Limousine Services manager Kinder Olak compared the Canada Line to services already available in Tokyo and New York City.
“Businessmen will probably prefer it,” said Olak. “With only one piece of luggage and no traffic, if they have a meeting downtown in an hour, it’s probably faster.”
BlackTop Cab president Amrik Mahil labelled the Canada Line as being “new and novel.”
“Initially we’re expecting business to be down 20 per cent, but once the excitement wears off, business should return,” Mahil said yesterday.
The Canada Line will stretch more than 19 kilometres, with travel times between YVR and downtown Vancouver estimated at 26 minutes.
