Cool Taxi

Cool Taxi is a system of prepaid coupons which can be used to pay for taxicab fares in the Canadian province of Quebec. It is marketed as a way to encourage passengers to take a taxicab rather than driving while intoxicated or with a driver who is intoxicated, especially on New Year's Eve.[1][2][3][4][5] The system was initially conceptualized by M. Carol Rancourt and was then introduced in 2010 by three men, fathers of three teenagers who were seriously injured in a car crash caused by a drunken driver, and received the support of Sam Hamad, Quebec's minister of transportation. The coupons can only be used for taxi fares and cannot be exchanged for cash, except that a driver will give change when the value of the coupons tendered by a passenger is more than the fare. The coupons are in denominations of $5 and $10, and incorporate some anti-counterfeiting techniques which are also used in cheques and banknotes. The plan is operated by Comité provincial de concertation et de développement de l'industrie du taxi, a trade association for the taxi industry in Quebec. Coupons can be purchased from the offices of taxi companies, Couche-Tard convenience stores and Familiprix pharmacies.

In June 2014, about 80 high school students in La Tuque, Quebec, each received 10-dollar Cool Taxi coupons provided by the city of La Tuque and the Sûreté du Québec provincial police so that the students could get home safely after their graduation dance.[6][7]

In December 2012, $10,000 worth of Taxi Cool coupons were distributed in bars in Montreal and Montérégie to encourage drinkers to take a taxi home.[8]

Unrelated company in the United States

An unrelated company with a similar name, Cool Taxi LLC, is located in Hampton, Virginia.

References

  1. ^ Lajoie, Stephane (December 23, 2010). "Des coupons prépayés pour un transport en toute quiétude". L'Argenteuil (in French). Lachute, Quebec. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
  2. ^ Sutherland, Anne (December 13, 2010). "Taxi Cool program wants to keep kids from taking the wheel intoxicated". The Gazette. Montreal. Postmedia News. Retrieved December 26, 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ "Les coupons de Cool Taxi s'envolent" (in French). Radio-Canada. December 23, 2010. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
  4. ^ Laliberté, Michel (December 13, 2010). "Cool taxi à la rescousse des jeunes". La Voix de l'Est (in French). Granby, Quebec. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
  5. ^ Lefebvre, Sarah-Maude (November 10, 2010). "Montréal aura des "cool taxi"" (in French). Canoë. Agence QMI. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
  6. ^ "Retour de Cool Taxi pour une 5e année". L'Écho de La Tuque (in French). June 19, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  7. ^ "Bals de finissants – pour festoyer en toute sécurité" (in French). Cool Taxi. June 16, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  8. ^ Christian Lepage / Agence (2012-12-15). "10 000$ de coupons ont été distribués dans des bars". Le Journal de Montréal (in French). Retrieved 2021-11-04.