Improvements on the way for stranded patrons
Posted Oct 29, 2012 11:51 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s a problem most late night revelers along the ‘Red Mile’ have encountered at least once, the question of ‘how do I get home?’
One city alderman decided to get a first hand look at the cab crunch for herself by talking with patrons and bar-owners.
Ward 13’s Diane Colley-Urquhart strolled 17th Avenue S.W. Saturday night and says more needs to be done in addressing the issue.
She’s calling for more temporary licenses to be issued for special occasions such as hockey games or concerts.
And the alderman wants to see the GPS tracking results once the units are installed in cabs to see if drivers are going home after 1 o’clock.
“We want businesses to thrive and do well and we want people to be safe and we don’t want this problem of dumping out into these main areas in front of bars,” she explains.
While she admits there’s a problem, she’s doubtful of any sort of quick fix before the Christmas holiday.
Colley-Urquhart’s calling on patrons to plan ahead before heading out for a night of fun.
“Even if you get a cab, try to car pool with a bunch of different people and have them deliver you to a bunch of different places,” she adds.
As the weather gets colder the problem typically gets worse, she’s promising things will change in the New Year.
