GTAA considers “surge pricing” during peak periods
The Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) is currently surveying ground transportation drivers on the concept of flexible pricing.
New pricing options could include higher pricing during peak periods and/or lower pricing during slow periods.
“For context, the taxi and limo tariff rates have been recently increased in 2022 and again in early 2024. These changes have resulted in a 25% increase over the past two years,” the preamble to the survey reads. “We kindly ask that you complete this survey by August 31, 2024. If you are not actively driving, please collect and provide feedback from your drivers.”
Airport Taxi driver Vazken Kerametlian spoke with Taxi News earlier in 2024, noting that the reason Airport Taxis were licensed and limited in the first place 30 years ago was because the airport pick-up area had turned into “a chaotic mess,” with scoopers and bandit taxis inventing their own rates and drivers actually getting into fist fights over passengers. Complaints became so numerous that a system of licensing and managing GTAA service providers was developed by Transport Canada.
Drivers who were awarded or who purchased these GACOR (Government Airport Concession Operating Regulations) permits are currently fighting to get recognition by the federal government, as the permits for which they paid up to hundreds of thousands of dollars became virtually worthless when the GTAA decided to allow Uber cars to drop off and pick up at the airport.
Taxi News has written the GTAA media staff to inquire if a similar survey of consumers is being conducted and will print the response if one is provided.
