City investigating rash of taxi, limo, rideshare complaints during Stampede

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — Passengers had some rough experiences in taxis, limos and rideshares during Calgary Stampede.

The City of Calgary is investigating a rash of complaints that happened during the 2019 Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.

“This year’s Stampede, we did see an increase of approximately 51 per cent in complaints with respect to taxi, limousine and ridesharing services,” said Chief Livery Inspector Abdul Rafih.

A thread on Reddit has logged over a hundred different complaints from Calgarians, especially during Stampede.

Rafih said the majority of complaints centred around fare disputes, parking issues, traffic violations and driver conduct.

Some people reported drivers would refuse to take credit or debit cards by claiming their machines had stopped working.

“If their machine, for example, is not working, they need to tell the customer that prior to the trip because it is a form of payment,” explained Rafih.

Others said a driver would refuse to take them where they wanted to go because the distance was too short.

“No excuses,” said Rafih. “Every trip must be taken regardless of trip duration.”

RELATED: Stampede sees second-highest attendance in history

Officials are now investigating the complaints as quickly as possible and will take appropriate actions — from a warning to the driver to their license being revoked if the offence is serious enough.

“We will speak with that citizen, we will compile as much information from that trip and gather as much information from that witness as possible,” Rafih added. “We speak with the driver, we speak with the company, we review camera footage as well.”

If you do experience a problem during a ride, it is also advised that you go directly to the city as opposed to trying to get a response from the company responsible.

“Don’t wait until it gets to that point. If you have a concern — regardless of what type of concern — call 311,” said Rafih. “All complaints are thoroughly investigated.”

Passengers are also reminded that they have rights and drivers should not be taking advantage of them.

“I think it’s important for customers to be aware of their passenger rights and bill of rights, which they can read in that taxi and go online to calgary.ca if they’d like to gather more information,” said Rafih.

It’s not clear how many of the complaints involved just taxi companies, as the increase in complaints also includes limos and rideshares.

We have reached out to a representative of Checker Transportation Group for comment.