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A “luxury” cab company in West Kelowna is trying to change the way people in the city think about taxis.
Pawen Auleth, a part-owner of WestCabs, says he and his partners started the company in July to “fill in the grey areas” they felt were being missed by taxi companies serving the Westside.
“We really believed that the dollar value that was being spent on taxi cabs here wasn’t justifying the service that was being offered,” Auleth explained.
Since taxi rates in B.C. are pre-determined by the provincial government WestCabs couldn’t charge less than anyone else.
So to give people the most bang for their buck the company instead invested in more luxurious cars, “better drivers,” and better service.
They also try to make things less expensive by cutting down on the number of cabs large groups have to take. WestCab’s Mercedes GL350, for example, can take six passengers at once.
Auleth says parts and service for their higher-end vehicles thins WestCab’s profit margins, but gives people a better taxi experience.
“This is kind of our way of providing a cheaper service,” he said.
“West Kelowna has been suffering for taxi service for a while, so whatever nobody has been doing, we are doing,” he said.
So far, Auleth says the strategy is paying off; WestCabs started with a fleet of five vehicles and has since expanded to 12.
On Uber
While Auleth contemplates further expansion at WestCabs, he admits he’s keeping an eye on the looming arrival of ridesharing platforms in the province.
Auleth said that, while he’s concerned what apps like Uber could mean for passenger safety, he’s “not worried” about the company’s arrival in B.C. affecting his business.
“We think that if they do steal our business, they deserve it. We don’t think they can provide the level of service we are providing,” he said.
He believes Uber is “tarnishing the entire system” of safety checks and certification that exist to keep commercial vehicles safe, because Uber drivers don’t have to adhere to the same safety standards as other commercial drivers.
The B.C. government has committed to allowing ridesharing companies like Uber into the province, but hasn’t yet laid down rules governing their drivers.
Auleth believes the safety and professional concerns surrounding companies like Uber will mean people will still choose taxis.
“In the beginning, we will fell a little bit of heat, because when anything comes and it’s something new people will try it, but I’m pretty sure within a month or so people will find out who the right person is for them,” he said.
Business guided by ‘heart’
Part of the reason he’s confident he won’t lose customers is the fact that he and his partners run their business “based on heart.”
“We believe service cannot be done without sacrifice. We’re sacrificing our margin, and we’re trying to service people by heart,” he said. “Our team is following the rule of heart.”
More information on WestCabs is available online.
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