Airport Transit Service Sorely Needed

Driving to the airport sucks.

There, I said it. You know you were all thinking it; you just didn’t know quite how to vocalize your feelings. Getting to the Edmonton International Airport to catch a flight can be quite a nightmare unless you have a gracious friend or family member willing to drop you off and pick you up. Leaving your vehicle at the airport is expensive and risky, especially in winter. Returning from a week in Mexico only to find your car won’t start is the Canadian nightmare. It can be hard to convince a taxi to drive out to the farther regions of the county because it takes foooreeever; besides, who wants to shell out that much money for a ride to and from the airport?

Figuring out which taxi cab company you are even allowed to use is a headache in itself, whether your destination be in Leduc or Edmonton. Certain cab companies are strictly limited by draconian rules brought on by cabbie wars. The Leduc-based Airport Cabs is allowed to take passengers from the airport into Edmonton; however, the same company is not allowed to take people from Edmonton to the airport. The next time you frantically try to hail an Airport Cab whizzing past you on Calgary Trail do not be offended. On the flip side, Edmonton-based cab companies can drive people from Edmonton to the airport in Nisku but cannot take passengers from the airport back into Edmonton. Passengers usually end up annoyed and confused after paying different amounts to go to the airport and return from the airport. Airport Cabs charges passengers a flat zone fee; other cab companies generally charge a meter rate. However, that may soon change. The Vehicle for Hire Commission will vote this week to approve a flat fee based on the Edmonton zone the ride originated in or to always charge the lower meter rate. The plan, which is generally supported by cab companies, must also be approved by Edmonton city council. If approved, this plan could save passengers some money, although it will not eliminate the confusion of the cab companies turf wars.

The timing of the plan could appear suspicious to some airport travellers. Cab companies are looking at lowering their airport trip rates the same year the City of Leduc and County of Leduc hope to implement an airport bus service, which would cost passengers infinitely less than any cab ride. A mere coincidence? Or do cab companies hope to preserve some of their airport client base in the wake of the possibility of an actual alternative to expensive cab rides?

The County of Leduc and the City of Leduc have hoped to enhance transit service in the Leduc region by offering a bus service between Nisku, Edmonton and the Edmonton International Airport for several years now. Both City of Leduc mayor Greg Krischke and County of Leduc Mayor Marvin Molzan have publicly expressed their commitment to this project. Unfortunately, cab companies can continue to gouge passengers (um, I mean breath easy) for now.
The city and the county recently committed funds for the project in their 2010 budgets, but are stuck until the provincial government agrees to dole out some major moola under the Green Transit Incentives Program (Green TRIP). In July 2008, the provincial government announced they would sink two billion dollars into “public transit investments” through Green TRIP in order to reduce the amount of traffic on Alberta’s roads. However, Green TRIP has faced serious cutbacks and delays thanks to a minor little problem known as the “global economic meltdown.” In November 2008, the government reduced the amount of money to be put into Green TRIP to 1.6 billion dollars. That amount plummeted to 195 million dollars by February 2009. The total amount of money for Green TRIP in the 2009-2010 budget? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. The project remains on the shelf and could very well stay there until the government has survived the projected deficits for the next few years. Unfortunately, it could be 2013 before Green TRIP projects are approved, if ever.

Hopefully, Leduc can continue to move forward with an airport transit service despite the current lack of provincial government support, even if the project is delayed beyond 2010. An airport service bus would lower the amount of airport traffic and improve air quality while giving Leduc residents options, which they sorely lack at the moment. If Green TRIP remains on the backburner, everyone loses. Except cab companies, that is.