Gander has an international airport but not enough taxis for visitors

Gander Deputy Mayor Bettina Ford says she has heard that people arriving at the Gander International Airport can end up waiting for long periods of time to get a taxi. (Gander International Airport Authority)

Travelers arriving at Gander International Airport may have difficulty getting into town after their flight. This is because the single taxi company does not have a full complement of drivers.

But the city says work is underway to address the community’s transportation gaps.

“I’ve heard people say they’ve had to wait a while to get taxi service,” Deputy Mayor Bettina Ford told the CBC radio show. Newfoundland Morning. “So from a tourism standpoint, it’s really concerning. It’s of interest to the city.”

Municipal regulations authorize 40 taxi licenses. However, there is currently only one taxi rank with 20 licenses, Ford said.

It’s a difficult position, because the hit musical Come from far away continues to attract people from around the world to the central Newfoundland city.

Ford says taxis are a business that makes decisions about financial viability, including peak times for flights arriving at the airport, when shows end or clubs close, as well as the cost of lodging. gasoline and insurance.

The idea of ​​the city subsidizing taxis is a good idea to help expand services, Ford said, but it’s not an issue the council plans to examine.

Ford said he was open to the idea of ​​new taxi sign-ups getting more cabs on the road and that the council had given Uber the boot.

“I think – yes, that as part of our tourism program, transportation, the movement of visitors in our community and how we can assist and work with the taxi companies – that is something, you know, that we should probably look into it,” Ford says.

Problem at the airport

Gander International Airport Authority President and CEO Reg Wright said ground transportation has been an issue since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We regularly measure traveler sentiment at the airport. This is one of the lowest rated areas of the passenger experience,” Wright said in an email to CBC News. “We want to ensure a good start and finish to everyone’s journey, including getting to and from the airport. We continue to work with our community partners to explore all options for improvement.

City of Gander regulations allow for 40 taxi permits. However, there is currently only one taxi rank with 20 licenses. (Courtesy Gander International Airport)

Wright said he was aware that people were struggling to find taxis, adding that the pandemic had made it difficult to recruit and retain drivers.

“Most of us travel under the assumption that ground transportation will be available at the airport, so it’s a serious inconvenience when that’s not the case,” he wrote.

Boost for transport

Ford said the city received $50,000 in funding from the federal government’s Rural Transportation Solutions Fund to help expand transportation infrastructure.

The city will use that money to identify what types of infrastructure are needed so changes and improvements can begin, she said.

“So the solutions could be expanding access to trails. It could be about bike lanes. It could be, you know, nonprofit bus services,” Ford said. “It could be, you know, welcoming Uber into the community. It could also be talking to taxi ranks and taxi licensees about expanding their service.”

Wright added that he would like to see funding improve transportation around the airport.

“I hope that the federal funding provided to the city can clarify the need and what the solutions might be, with particular attention to the obstacles that might exist for current operators to expand their service, and to some sustainable approaches in which transportation public could create the connections that airport customers need.

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