City Government

City and Airport Authority Reach Agreement on Taxis

February 02, 2012

Edmonton taxis will no longer have to drive back from the International Airport empty, thanks to a memorandum of understanding signed between the Edmonton Regional Airports Authority and the City of Edmonton.

“This agreement helps improve taxi service availability, reduces deadheading and reduces impact to our environment,” says Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel. “We have an agreement that balances and meets the needs of the City of Edmonton, Edmonton International Airport, our taxi industry, and the citizens and visitors of our city.”

The agreement was negotiated late last year to reduce the amount of deadheading between the city and airport. Currently, unless they have a pre-arranged fare, only taxis from Airport Taxi Service can pick up at the airport and only Edmonton-based taxis can pick up in the city. This means Edmonton taxis that take passengers to the terminal must return empty, as must Airport Taxi Service taxis that take passengers to Edmonton.

Under the new agreement, the airport will only contract taxi companies and drivers that are licensed to operate in Edmonton. To make sure there are enough taxis to provide reliable service to the airport, City Council released 100 new taxi licences yesterday and the City will allow drivers that are currently providing service at the airport to apply for these licences.

“Providing excellent, efficient taxi service is key to an outstanding traveler experience,” says Reg Milley, President and CEO of Edmonton Airports. “Our customers and community partners told us that they prefer a seamless, regional approach to taxi service, with less deadheading.”

The new City licences will be distributed through a random selection process. Edmonton International Airport will be asking for bids, through an RFP process, to decide which Edmonton taxi brokers will be contracted to provide on-demand service at the terminal.

For more information:

Garry Dziwenka

Sustainable Development
City of Edmonton

Title	Chief Livery Officer
Telephone	780-496-5247