Beck Taxi has evolved in leaps and bounds over the last five decades and is rejoining the ranks of The Transportation Alliance (TTA).
Jim Beck founded the company in Toronto, Ontario, back in 1967 after experiencing a poor taxicab service. Beck operated the business with the help of his daughter, Gail Beck-Souter, who took ownership after his death. Beck’s granddaughter, Kristine Hubbard, is now the company’s operations manager.
When Beck-Souter initially took the position, “She was told very quickly that you’re never going to make it,” Hubbard said. “Whenever she hosted meetings with other people from other companies, they would ask her to get them coffee, paper copies, etc.”
Her doubters became her motivators, as she established herself to be a strong and willing competitor and created the relationships she needed to build her father’s company into a successful company.
Beck Taxi started with a fleet of 75 operating vehicles, and Beck-Souter then grew the fleet to over 2,000 vehicles. The company built an app where customers can call for a ride and it also includes groceries and essential deliveries for customers’ convenience.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on Beck Taxi and its operations when they lost revenue and drivers. Unbeknownst to their knowledge, the city of Toronto was giving the people the message to call a cab if they need to go somewhere since their subway services were closed--putting taxi drivers’ health and safety at risk (read about it here).
“We quickly realized that the taxi drivers who were willing to work will be used by the city, without notice, to move potentially sick people, and we were not provided any sort of priority for vaccinations,” Hubbard sad.
Fortunately, the company made a comeback, as they are currently operating 1,175 vehicles. They plan to build back what they lost and continue to grow.
Beck Taxi had been a member of TTA for almost a decade, until 2021. It has decided to rejoin TTA because they wanted to see what they can learn and what knowledge they can provide to other transportation companies. And what better opportunity than to attend Mobilize 2022, TTA’s Annual Convention & Expo. Registration for Mobilize 2022, back in Las Vegas from October 30-November 2, is now open.
“We see the value in communicating with people and companies who are in the same line of work, get their experiences on how things are going for them, and gain some knowledge about how other companies and municipalities are dealing with either regulators or challenges,” Hubbard said.
Please welcome back Beck Taxi to The Transportation Alliance!