Taxis in Canada are not very cheap, but very popular. Several reasons explain this fact.
The fact is that bus traffic is not very developed in Canada. And if buses do run, then their routes can be very far from home. There are no minibuses as such in Canada at all. Therefore, even if sometimes you want to go by bus, you will need to walk about 30 minutes to the stop.
Owning your own car is also not a very cheap pleasure, so once a week it is cheaper to take a taxi somewhere than to refuel and service a private car.
Canadians living in downtown areas do not have the opportunity to leave a car near their home, because there is no parking there. Therefore, it is easier to leave the house and wave your hand, beckoning an approaching taxi car.
Features of the Canadian taxi
Calling a taxi in Canada is significantly different from what people in Russia are used to seeing. They dialed the number, specified your address and phone number, called back and said that the car had arrived. But in Canada, a taxi is not called like that. They dialed the number, told the address where you call a taxi and run downstairs. Because a taxi car that has arrived will not wait for you for a very long time. Wait 2-3 minutes and leave. Nobody will tell you that a taxi is waiting for you.
The competition among taxi drivers is very small, because licenses are very expensive, so not everyone can afford them. The taxi market has been divided for a very long time, "trade unions" vigilantly make sure that private cab drivers do not squeeze into this occupied niche.
It is almost impossible to catch a taxi outside the city zone, so write down for yourself a few phone numbers that you can use if necessary to call a taxi: +1 613 238 1111; +1 613 727 0101
Pay in a Canadian taxi
Taxi fares are charged by the meter. Plus, every taxi driver expects a good tip from their customers, which is not necessary at all. Not every driver is ready to provide you with the opportunity to pay by credit card. Before calling a car, make sure that you can make a cashless payment if necessary. You will be charged approximately $ 4 for boarding a taxi. And then you will pay about 25 cents for 150 meters. By the way, Canadians have constant prices. Therefore, regardless of the day of the week or time of day, the fare will not change.
