The bulk of taxi drivers in Metro Vancouver have fled to companies like Uber and Lyft while ridership has plummeted since the onset of the pandemic, according to the Vancouver Taxi Association. About 90 per cent of drivers under the VTA umbrella, an association that includes nine cab companies in the Lower Mainland, have left to operate ride-hailing vehicles, the association says. Taxi association president Carolyn Bauer says the ridership plunge is a combination of both competition with app-based ride-hailing services and the economic fallout of the pandemic. Bauer says ride-hailing companies are able to offer substantial discounts to riders because of their deep pockets. The Passenger Transportation Board — the provincial regulator — also charges taxi and ride-hailing companies fees based on the size of each fleet.

Source: CBC News February 13, 2021 03:10 UTC