How some P.E.I. cab companies are dealing with COVID-19
‘Business has dropped about 85 per cent’
As Islanders continue to stay home, practising physical distancing and social isolation, some of P.E.I.'s cab companies have experienced a sharp drop in ridership.
Kirby Eldershaw, a driver and former owner with Yellow Cab, has experienced that drop first-hand.
"It's been slow. I would say business has dropped about 85 per cent," he said.
"Right now we are only taking the nurses and home care workers and the staff to and from the grocery stores that are now open."
He said the decline in business also means the cab company has fewer cars on the road. Prior to the measures put in place to address COVID-19 on the Island, the company would have about 18 cars on the road at one time, said Eldershaw.
"We're looking at maybe four to five cars working now every day," he said.
Most of the drivers are independent contractors with the cab company, said Eldershaw. He said most have stopped driving entirely for their own safety.
"A lot of taxi drivers in Charlottetown, that is the only job that they do have," he said. "Some have other jobs, like myself, but not everybody has that option to have another job."
Eldershaw is still driving, and plans to continue so long as he's able to keep himself safe.
"I'm sanitizing the van down after the customers, my debit machine, door handles. I even take some wipes and do my seats. I just feel that I'm doing my part to stay safe," he said.
Extra precautions
The drivers that are still driving for Yellow Cab are taking extra precautions to make sure that both passengers and drivers are safe, and that includes not stopping at the airport.
"Because when they fly into the airport … they have to self-quarantine, and if we go and pick them up and that means that we should have to self-quarantine too," he said.
"So me, I stay away from the airport right now. Nothing against the airport, it's just the circumstances."
P.E.I. Online Taxi started to notice it's ridership drop off within the first week of COVID-19 precautions coming into effect on the Island.
"We saw a complete drop in revenue to zero by the end of the first week," said Osama Abdoh, owner of P.E.I. Online Taxi.
The company has decided to take its cabs off the road for now, partly because of the lack of business but also to keep drivers safe.
"It's not just because there was no passengers available," said Abdoh. "It's also to make sure that there is the right measures in place to make sure this is safe to proceed."
Next week the company plans to put one cab back on the road.
Keeping everyone safe
Drivers are doing extra cleaning and Eldershaw said that when passengers climb into his cab, he asks them to sit in the back row of the van to maintain as much distance as possible.
He said he's looking for a way to further distance himself from passengers, looking to see if he can install a barrier between the front and rear of the vehicle.
While Eldershaw said he hasn't found a solution yet, P.E.I. Online Taxi plans to create one for their car that will be back on the road next week.
"We're going to create an airtight barrier between the driver and the passenger's cabin," Abdoh said. "This particular measure provides complete isolation of the driver from the cabin and vice versa."
COVID-19: What you need to know
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Common symptoms include:
- Fever.
- Cough.
- Tiredness.
But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia, which can lead to death.
Health Canada has built a self-assessment tool.
What should I do if I feel sick?
Isolate yourself and call 811. Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested. A health professional at 811 will give you advice and instructions.
How can I protect myself?
-
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.
-
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
-
Clean regularly touched surfaces regularly.
-
Practise physical distancing.
More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government's website.