Wallaceburg taxi company downsizing

cadillac cabs wallaceburg taxi

With free rides being given by a local volunteer group and “illegal taxi” services operating in Wallaceburg, Cadillac Cabs is going to be downsizing come July 10.

Ray Melhuish, owner of the taxi service, said he will be laying off six people – three dispatchers and three of his six drivers.

“The last couple of years, due to the decline in sales due to free services I don’t have enough income to support newer vehicles and with the higher cost of sustaining a cab company,” he said. “Every six month cars have to be safetied through Chatham-Kent, there is a fee for a license once a year, insurance is $600 a month per vehicle, plus the high price of fuel, it’s hard to compete against free rides.”

Melhuish referred to a local courtesy shuttle, whose business card states that they provide free transportation to people for essentials, including: doctors appointments, groceries and banking.

“It has expanded past that,” Melhuish said. “It has expanded to trips to work, beer store, liquor store, wherever you want to go.”

Melhuish said the lay off will take place on July 10.

“Now I’m in no position to maybe expand passed July 10, maybe days only,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m going to be doing. The free shuttle group “will have to step up to the plate now and continue their service.

Melhuish said there are also illegal cab operators working in the town of Wallaceburg.

“They don’t do six-month safeties, don’t pay the $74 taxi fee a year, don’t pay high commercial insurance, only pay the regular insurance,” he said. “Regular cab companies have to get the safeties done every six months through an outside source, an outside mechanic… that’s another fee you have to pay.”

Melhuish said he was forced into the decision of laying off his workers.

“I made this decision with the understanding that I’m not going into the red,” he said. “I’ve donated a considerable chunk of change out of my pension to maintain services the past two years. I’m not going to continue to invest into something… I can’t compete against free rides.”

Moving forward Melhuish said he is going “to try and service the public of Wallaceburg to the best of my ability.

“I’ll be downsizing from three lines to one line and calls will be answered in line, the customers may have to wait a little longer than previously. I might be only days only… I have no decision on what I’m doing after July 10. I’m going to try and maintain nights and I’m going to try and maintain a day service, but it is going to be limited.”

Melhuish added: I am the only legal cab company… but can you call a church organization with volunteers illegal either. I can’t call them and say they are illegal, but I can say they shouldn’t be in the cab business taking away peoples wages and income to sustain a cab company.”

Melhuish said currently he has nine employees, three dispatch and six drivers.

Reports say a Wallaceburg resident was charged for operating an illegal cab service and is being dealt with in court.

Watch for more on this story.

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