Meter adjustments for $1 increase almost done, Solid One’s Arvanitakis says
Photo: Jafar Mirsalari
Taxi drivers have wasted no time in getting their meters adjusted since Council voted to implement a $1.00 “fuel surcharge.” The increase from $3.25 to $4.25 replaces the $1.00 deduction the industry agreed to implement in 2015 as a measure to compete with Uber’s prices, which were drastically lower than Taxi prices at that time.
“We started making the $1.00 adjustments immediately,” Nick Arvanitakis of Solid One/Taxi Media Solutions told Taxi News.
Taxi drivers note that the $1.00 increase represents only a fraction of their cost increases: “We really need an increase in the kilometerage,” says one driver. “$1.00 isn’t much on the overall trip, but at least it’s better than nothing.”
Solid One recently moved from its Eastern Avenue location to Steeles Avenue West, where the team of techs has worked steadily at adjusting the meters.
“There used to be almost 6,000 Taxis in Toronto – there are less than 3,000 now. Closer to 2,000. We are basically done.”
Arvanitakis, who has worked in the Taxi industry in virtually every major city across North America in the last 25 years and runs one of Toronto’s last full-service meter shops, says that getting meter units and parts is not a challenge.
“The challenge is the going to be getting the actual vehicles,” Arvanitakis says. “A lot of cars will ‘age out’ next March and need to be replaced; owners will be scrambling to get them. They are not sitting on the car lots, they will need to be ordered – in November or December, if these guys want to keep working without interruption.”
Solid One is located at 3300 Steeles Avenue West, Unit #33. The cost of a meter adjustment is $25.00 which includes HST; drivers can call 416 955 9806 for more information.
